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The holy town of Lord Jagannath, Puri is one of the four holy pilgrimage-places (Char Dhaam) .
Sahi Jatra is one of the oldest festivals that is believed to have begun in 1230 AD in Puri.
In Odia, ‘Sahi’ means a locality/street/particular area.
‘Jatra' means procession/movement/journey.
Sahi Jatra is a colourful processional theatre. Sahi Jatra is a kind of folk drama or play.
As Puri town is very ancient, so are its ‘sahis'. Each sahi has its own presiding deity. These sahis once safeguarded the temple of Lord Jagannath from attack. Traditional weapons are taken out to the street in a grand procession in Sahi Jatra. Wrestlers get a chance to display their strength and skill and local youth enact the roles in elaborate costumes, enact the roles. This grand procession on the main street has music powered by musicians playing drums, trumpets and conch shells.
Usually performed during the first month of spring, Sahi Jatra is also seen during festivals and celebrations. It commences on Ram Navami and continues for a fortnight. In Puri, each street enacts a different episode from the Ramayana, and the story moves from one street to another. The story starts with the birth of Lord Rama, his fight with demons, Laxman chopping off Supranakha's nose, Rama and Laxman after the golden deer, Ravana forcibly taking away Sita, the war between Rama and Ravana and Rama’s coronation. Mythical tales, folk-tales and folk-songs are also enacted.
During the Sahi Jatra performance, anyone from the audience can join in spontaneously.
I recently got to be a part of a Sahi Jatra at Bhubaneswar. The moment I saw the Sahi Jatra on the road stretch near Ram Mandir, I joined in and walked with the procession.
The carnival-like atmosphere was lovely! It was great to witness and participate in a live cultural show on the busy road! Looking forward to the next Sahi Jatra.
Have you experienced such a procession in any city? Do share in the comments below.
Post for my second #atozchallenge. S for Sahi Jatra i.e. Street Journey/Procession.
My Theme is- “Odisha- The Soul of Incredible India”. Odisha is a state in the eastern part of India. Have you visited Odisha and India?
