Odisha: Ashadhi festival of Maa Tarini at Ghatagaon today; know its significance

The sacred Ashadhi festival of Maa Tarini is being observed on Thursday at her shrine in Ghatagaon, Odisha’s Keonjhar district, drawing a large gathering of devotees. This annual event is celebrated on the last Thursday of the Odia month of Ashadha and holds significant spiritual and agricultural value for the local communities.

As per the tradition, Maa Tarini is believed to observe a fast on this day for the welfare of the world. In observance of this custom, the temple remains closed in the morning hours. Only after sunset are the temple gates opened, and the deity is offered elaborate rituals that continue till late into the night.

Maa Tarini Adorned with Gold Ornaments

A major highlight of the festival is the ritual in which Maa Tarini is adorned with gold ornaments. Devotees from different regions throng the temple premises to catch a glimpse of the goddess in her ‘suna besha’. This spectacle of the Goddess draws considerable devotional attention and adds grandeur to the festival.

To ensure a smooth experience for the large number of visitors, the temple administration has made extensive preparations. Special arrangements are in place for disciplined and safe darshan of the Goddess throughout the evening and night.

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Ashadhi Festival: Significance

The Ashadhi festival also bears agricultural significance. Being an agrarian festival, the heads of 22 ‘khanda mouzas’ participate in a customary ritual where they offer pledges before the Goddess. 

These village leaders, or mukhias, seek blessings for a good harvest and symbolically commence the season’s agricultural activities by making a ritualistic sacrificial offering of a billy.

The festival brings together devotion and tradition, reinforcing Maa Tarini’s central role in the spiritual and daily lives of the region’s people.