Sulia fest tomorrow, Sec 144 clamped to prevent mass sacrifice

Bolangir: A day before the Sulia Festival of Khairaguda, Bolangir district administration has imposed section 144 of Cr PC at three sacrifice sites (Sana Khala, Bada Khala and Nua Khala) to ensure that large number of animal slaughter should not occur unlike previous years.

As a mark of precautionary measures, the government has also deployed adequate platoons of police force at the festival sites to ensure a peaceful festival.

The district administration on Sunday convened a meeting with the Sulia Yatra Committee members and requested them to refrain from the gory practice. They have been warned of strict actions if they flout constitutional norms on animal sacrifice. However, the tribals are adamant to carry out their tradition and are in no mood to respect official guidelines, sources said.

Celebrated on the first Tuesday after the new moon day of Pausa month of the Hindu calendar, the festival is observed at six places in Balangir every year. Kondh tribals, who observe the festival, believe that offering blood of animals and birds to Sulia, their traditional deity, brings prosperity to their home in the form of good harvest and happiness.