FESTIVAL OF BARIPADA

Baripada is a land where majority of the people are tribals. For the Ratha Yatra festival or Car festival, we can see a number of chariots. The devotees arrive from every nook and corner of Baripada. The festivals are time of their merry making. All are eager to have a hand in pulling the celestial chariot. This is similar to the famous Puri car festival in which Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra make their annual journey. The only difference is that this chariot is drawn from Baripada, which is the tribal heartland of Orissa. Here the chariot of Subhadra is pulled entirely by women. The women can be seen in all vigor and spirit drawing the chariot. The chariots like the crowds are big. Baripada is the most favored destination of women from all over. All women are eager to draw the chariots. It`s doubtful whether this special treatment has the sanction of the scriptures. But the locals say that it is a century old tradition.