Redhakhol, 2nd Sept 2025: In the Sambalpur district’s Redhakhol block, the worship ceremony of Mā’ Suhāṇī Devī was conducted on Tuesday at the Suhāṇī Hill near Baṁśālāl village, following traditional rituals. This worship has been celebrated since the time of the princely states and, for the past few years, has been organized with the cooperation of the local community around Baṁśājāla.
On Tuesday morning, the ritual worship began at Ushakothi in Baṁśājāla village, where over a hundred villagers participated. The devotees then carried the deity’s idol in a grand procession to the Suhāṇī Hill shrine. At the shrine, the traditional food offerings and worship rituals for the goddess were performed.
Prominent priests who conducted the worship included Praveen Dehuri, Yudhisthira Dehuri, Girishchandra Dehuri, Manu Dehuri, Prakash Dehuri, and Tinu Dehuri.
After Ganesh Chaturthi, on the first Sunday, the Rajabatiyā festival begins in Panchakhanda. Following this worship, preparations start for the Nuāṅkhāi festival in the region.
The first day of Rajabatiyā involves worship at Rajabati in Redhakhol hill, Panchakhanda, and Nuāmuṇḍā. The second day includes the worship of Bauti Devī at Khubelga Lagada. On the third day, after the worship of Suhāṇī Devī, the Nuāṅkhāi festival concludes throughout the Redhakhol region.
The Suhāṇī Devī worship ceremony organized at Baṁśājāla was attended by many dignitaries, including Baṁśājāla Sarpanch Lokanath Pradhan, committee member Dillip Kumar Pradhan, former president of the Baṁśājāla Seva Cooperative Society Lakshman Pradhan, and other respected personalities.