Balasore, Oct 8: The Kar family in Barabati of Balasore district, is celebrating a 227-year-old tradition known as 'Ghata Puja.' They have worshipped Maa Durga for 163 years, making it the oldest Durga puja in the district, affectionately called ‘Karghara Durga Puja.’
Legend says the Kar family's ancestors came from Mayapur and Burdwan in West Bengal. Distressed by the harsh rule of local leaders, they decided to move. Panchanan Kar, a family member, settled in Barabati in 1697 after starting a maritime trade business.
As their trade grew, linking with countries like Indonesia and Myanmar, the Kar family became wealthy. In 1798, they began the Ghata Puja, a ritual using pitchers to represent the goddess, at their Devibadi building.
Over the years, they expanded their business to areas like Soro and Bhadrak and became known as zamindars, owning 14,500 acres of land and having 27,000 tenant farmers by 1822.
To protect their growing wealth, they conducted Shakti Puja and acquired brass idols of various deities, drawing in other local families to join their rituals.
In 1862, they worshipped the brass idols of Goddess Durga, but a feud later split them from other families.
In their unique worship style, Devi Durga is honored as Hara-Parbati along with deities like Ganesh and Laxmi. The rituals begin with soil collection on the day of Rath Yatra, and on Saptami, water is gathered from the Budhabalanga River by seven priests.
The main celebrations occur during Ashtami and Sandhi Puja, featuring large offerings of rice and ghee. Later, the family added a new ritual called ‘sindoor khela,’ where women apply vermillion after idol immersion.