Fear of Goddess’ wrath: Odisha villagers seal themselves inside village after series of mysterious deaths

In a startling display of superstition, residents of Gadabaguda village under Narayanpatna block in Koraput district have barricaded their village with bamboo fences, claiming that their village goddess has become angry and is causing untimely deaths.

At the village entrance, a handwritten notice warns outsiders against entering — and locals against leaving — for fear of inviting further divine wrath.
“If anyone goes out or enters, the goddess will get angry,” the sign reads.

According to villagers, the community has witnessed around 10 sudden deaths of men in the past year. Some died in accidents, others fell from trees, and a few succumbed to snakebites. Locals believe these deaths are not coincidental but the result of the deity abandoning the village in anger.

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To pacify the goddess, the villagers have begun an elaborate ritual of worship, following traditional tribal customs. Each household has contributed funds for the ceremony, and the community is performing daily prayers using drums, flowers, lamps, and offerings near the village pond, hoping to bring peace and protection.

The villagers have also imposed a self-declared eight-day isolation, forbidding anyone from entering or leaving the village during the ritual period.

“We have pasted the poster because no one is well in the village. Only youths and young people are passing away mysteriously. So, neither we allow any outsider inside the village nor we go outside,” stated a villager.

Likewise, another villager said, “We have called a ‘sorcerer’ for puja. We have decided that we villagers will not go outside or any outsider will come here. Our gods and goddesses are upset, so we have decided to call the ‘pujari’ and perform special rituals.”

On being informed, local administration rushed to the village and managed to restore movement to and from the village. However, the episode underscores how superstition and age-old beliefs continue to hold sway in parts of rural Odisha, even in the face of modern awareness campaigns.