or12.jpg

Calling all Oriya women ...... Save Oriya culture :: Encourage children to learn Oriya :: Include Oriya foods in your menu :: Patronise Oriya artists :: Listen to Oriya songs :: Celebrate traditional Oriya festivals :: Partonise Odissi dance :: Spread the glory of Lord Jagannath :: Buy Oriya books :: Know history of Orissa :: Feel proud that you belong to a great community.

HOME | COUNSELLING | ORIYA FESTIVALS | ORIYA FOODS | PERSONALITY | BOOKS | ARCHIVE | MESSAGE BOARD
E   D   I   T   O   R   I   A   L
 
The many Subhadras of Baripada 
baripadarath.jpg
WOMEN PULLING THE CHARIOT

Yes, we would like to call them Subhadras : the ardent women devotees of Goddess Subhadra in the small township of Baripada. When on the holy occasion of Rath Yatra they take upon themselves the responsibility of pulling the grand chariot, they appear to have transformed themselves into personification of the goddess herself.

 

In Baripada like in previous years, this year also out of the three huge chariots, the one belonging to Goddess Subhadra was pulled only by women, while their male counterparts remained confined to the task of taking care of the other two chariots. We are inclined to mention this here all the more because it serves as a symbolic manifestation of women’s empowerment.

 

The credit for initiating this unique tradition in Baripada goes to late Nandini Satpathy, the erstwhile dynamic chief minister of Orissa. It was she, who in the year 1975 promptly endorsed a proposal made by the district officials to allow only women to pull Subhadra’s chariot, and extended all help to facilitate the practice. And the tradition continued. So much so that inspired by this, the practice of Goddess Subhadra’s chariot being pulled exclusively by women is today followed in Rath Yatras in some other places as well.

 

Prior to 1975 also this practice existed in the Rath Yatra of Baripada, though for a brief period. In mid-50s moved by the plight of a woman devotee who was severely injured in her bid to join the huge number of chariot-pullers, the organisers introduced the system of one of the chariots being pulled by only women. However it was discontinued a few years later, until the same was revived in 1975 by late Nandini Satpathy.

 

If it has successfully been practised in Baripada for the past many years without the slightest problem, why couldn’t it be implemented in the Rath Yatra of Puri as well? This question finds relevance consequent to this year’s tragedy in Puri where six hapless devotees including women lost their lives due to the failure of proper crowd management in the Rath Yatra.

 

It is quite shocking to note that this is the second such stampede in Puri during a short span of 20 months; for in November 2006 four persons died and many others were injured in a similar incident inside the temple complex. The primary victims were women who had gone there to perform Kartik Brata.

 

If the authorities are really serious about formulating a strategy to avert any such unfortunate incident in future, they should put the practice of one of the chariots being pulled exclusively by women in their agenda. Because Baripada has shown that this system could function as a befitting solution for ensuring safety of women in such an event of big magnitude.

 

However this should not lead to a perception that women devotees ought to be provided with some sort of a reservation for the sake of their protection alone. More importantly, the exclusive privilege of pulling Devadalan - the chariot of Devi Subhadra in Puri, will boost the self-confidence and morale of numerous women present on the occasion who otherwise feel side-tracked in the unruly crowd-behaviour. As already evidenced in Baripada, this would also serve as a case of empowerment of women.

OPINION POLL
Should the chariot of Goddess Subhadra in the Rath Yatra of Puri be pulled by women alone?

Yes, I think so
No, I don't think so
Can't say


View Results

To see our following previous editorials please go to the Archive page:

image004.jpg
"JAGANNATHA SWAMI NAYANA-PATHA-GAMI BHAVATU ME"

Dedicated at the lotus feet of Lord Jagannath

.

odissi8.jpg
LOOKING AT THE MIRROR - THE ODISSI WAY

About us:
Oriya Nari aspires to promote the cause of Oriya ladies world wide. It is our goal to acquaint all visitors of this site with the cultural roots of Orissa. We wish to promote Oriya traditions, art and custom among all women who are related to the Oriya community.
This site would strive to cover all aspects of an Oriya woman's life. It could be her joys, sorrows, dilemmas, cultural activities and social relations. It is a place where every Oriya woman should feel at home.
Come, join us. Let us make it a true forum for all Oriya ladies around the world.
                               
 
Click  on the links below to visit the other pages of our site:

Go to Counselling page
Post your problems in personal or social life, if any, to receive counselling from our team.
Go to Oriya Festivals page
See a calendar of Oriya festivals and brief notes on some of them.
Go to Oriya Foods page
Recipe of pitha and dishes that are common to every Oriya home.
Go to Personality page
Presenting an outstanding woman personality  
Go to Books page
Books in Oriya and English that women may find interesting
Go to Archive page
Find here some of our previous editorials.
Go to Message Board
Participate in a discussion or start a new topic
.
 
.

whats_new1__24355.gif

A new editorial on Home page.
Counselling page updated.

E-mail us at:  oriyanari@yahoo.co.in

Message Board

Google

Best viewed with Screen Resolution 800 X 600
 
Our site may be visited at any of the following three locations:
 
 
.
.
 
 
Site Administrator : Sujata Satpathy

p_menubutton1.gif

PLEASE SIGN VISITORS BOOK