In Sambalpur, thousands of devotees flocked to the Samaleswari temple to witness the ‘Dhabalamukhi Besha’ (white attire) ritual of the goddess during Mahalaya on Sunday. The Goddess Samaleswari is typically dressed in red throughout the year, except on Mahalaya, a day dedicated to making ‘Pind daan’ for ancestors. To accommodate the large turnout, the temple opened its doors to devotees at 5 am. Visitors from the district and surrounding areas arrived early to see the goddess in her white attire. According to Sanjaya Babu, president of the Samaleswari Temple Trust Board, the goddess’s transformation into ‘Dhabalamukhi Besha’, also known as ‘Ganga Darshan’, takes over six hours. This special attire will remain until Tuesday afternoon.
He noted that the temple authorities have made extensive arrangements for the influx of devotees from western Odisha and nearby states, with adequate police presence ensuring a peaceful experience. Following Mahalaya, the Navaratra Puja will commence on Monday and continue for nine days at the temple. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and BJD president Naveen Patnaik extended Mahalaya greetings to the people of Odisha, seeking blessings from Maa Durga.
Additionally, thousands gathered at Shree Jagannath temple in Puri and Maa Biraja temple in Jajpur to perform Pind daan and Shraddha rituals, aiming for peace and salvation for departed souls on the last day of Pitru Paksha, offering ‘pindas’ made from flour, rice, and Mahaprasad as part of these sacred rites.
