By Sundar Chandel
By Ashis Senapati
The curious case of a submerged idol of Narayan Goswami deity in Odisha's Jajpur is ridden with intriguing events from the state's medieval history. The idol was submerged in a temple's pond in 1569 to protect it from an invading army commanded by an estranged Hindu general who converted to Islam in order to marry a Muslim princess. On every Odia new year ever since, the idol has been taken out of the pond for worship and submerged back — a ritual that hadn't been observed for the last two years due to restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Read on to know more about the historical origins of the ritual.
The curious case of a submerged idol of Narayan Goswami deity in Odisha's Jajpur is ridden with intriguing events from the state's medieval history. The idol was submerged in a temple's pond in 1569 to protect it from an invading army commanded by an estranged Hindu general who converted to Islam in order to marry a Muslim princess. On every Odia new year ever since, the idol has been taken out of the pond for worship and submerged back — a ritual that hadn't been observed for the last two years due to restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Read on to know more about the historical origins of the ritual.
By Nidhi Jamwal
Once rulers, Paharia tribe in Jharkhand is now highly vulnerable and struggling poverty, malnutrition and human trafficking.
Once rulers, Paharia tribe in Jharkhand is now highly vulnerable and struggling poverty, malnutrition and human trafficking.