MALKANGIRI DIARY

CHILD SALE IN JAJPUR

By Amulya Kumar Pati

A poverty-stricken couple in Jajpur , second of its kind in the district, in a fort night in this costal district has allegedly sold their 20-day-old son to another son-less couple last week. It however came to fore when Brahabarada Zilla Parisad member and local Congress leader, Bijay Kumar Das alleged before the media on Sunday. This incident comes close on the heel of two similar incidents in Jagatsinghpur and Jajpur earlier this month.

Directed by the district administration after it appeared in a vernacular daily , a team of government officials, including Rasulpur Block additional block development officer (ABDO) Upendra Jena, revenue inspector of Banksahi circle Sahadev Sahu and village level worker (VLW) Chaitanya Hasta met the couple on Monday. Sources said, driven by acute poverty, Sk Kamiruddin (37) and his wife Munifa Bibi (28) of Maheswarpur village under Rasulpur block in the district reportedly sold their fifth child, a son to Muslim Alli Khan (40) and his wife Sohan Bibi (32) of Rekabi Bazar near Baruhan under Jajpur Block , nearly 11km from Maheswarpur. But both the couples have denied of having any monetary transaction on the issue. “We haven't sold our son.

As we were reeling under acute poverty, we donated it to the couple, who happens to be a distant relative of ours. We also have made a legal paper before some eminent persons of our village," Kamiruddin and Munifa told this correspondent on Monday afternoon. According to the Sarpanch of Maheswarpur Grampanchayat , the couple has two daughters and two sons besides the newborn one. Sarpanch, Sk. Abula also said that the porverty sticken couple donated their new born baby for his better miantaince. Karimuddin however claims that no poverty alleviation scheme has reached him. "I am not even included in the BLP list and no Antadyoya card has been issued against my family. We are living in acute poverty and for which my sister is taking care of my elder son," he told. "It was not possible for us to maintain a newborn son along with other four children due to poverty," said a dejected Munifa. Refuting the allegation of child sale, ABDO Jena admitted that the couple has adopted the baby. "Muslim Alli and Sohan have three daughters and they wanted to adopt the baby as their son. They also have made an agreement on a non-judicial paper," he said. Contacted, Jajpur Collector Sanjay Kumar Singh told, "Exactly it is not a case of child-sale. However further inquiry is being conducted and the details will be known on Tuesday. We will provide assistance to the couple as per government norms."



DEVOTEES OFFER LIQUOR IN A TEMPLE
By ASHIS SENAPATI
KENDRAPADA ,DATE-2.2.08

The devotees offer vegetarian foods as 'Prasad' to almost all the temples of the state. But in Maa Olasuni temple in a hillock at village Olasuni near the national highway no-5(A) about 20 km from Kendrapada is an exception as the devotees offer fish ,meat even alcohol to propitiate the deity.

Since time immemorial, the devotees have been offering non-vegetarian foods to the deity. Even many teetotalers , non-vegetarians and women devotees also offer fish, meat and liquor to the deity.

"The temple was established by a 17th, century saint Arakhita Das in the dense forest at the Olasuni hillock. "As per the age old dictum of the saint, the devotees are entitled to offer any types of food to the deity as saint considered all the food items consumed by the human beings were the 'Prasad' for the deity. Many devotees belief that an offering of a bottle of liquor , fish and meat can wonders. Its fame has traveled far and wide, with crowds pouring in with bottles of liquors and non-vegetarian foods in hand", said Ramakanta Das a devotee.

It is said that pouring of a bottle of liquor in the temple along with other non-vegetarian offerings such as meat, fish and dry-fish can lead to fulfillment of wishes. The belief is that the founder of the temple saint Arakhita Das was a passionate non-vegetarian food eater, said Dr Basudev Das a researcher of the temple. "Human bodies consist of flesh, blood, bones and the human beings take both vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods. The "Prasads' of the temple are human consumable items. Scientifically vegetables have also life. To pluck a fruit from a tree and killing of a goat are same things as both have life", said Mahanta Namananda Das the present Mahanta and the decedent of founder saint Arakhita Das of Olasuni temple.

"As per the tenet of Hindu religion, the eating of beef is forbidden for which the devotees are not allowed to offer beef before the deity", added the present Mahanta of the temple. Each day hundreds of devotees visit the temple to offer non-vegetarian foods including liquor. They pour liquor near the 'Samadhi' (tomb) of the late Mahanta Arakhita Das. All the priests including the present Mahanta and his disciples also drink few drops of liquor offered by devotees, admitted Mahanta Namananda Das. "In the past the devotees used to offer juices of palm-trees, date-palm trees and country liquors. But now-a-days they offer foreign liquors and other types of country-liquors", said the Mahanta.

"Many truck drivers who drive on the national highway near the temple belief that offering of a bottle of liquor save them from any road-accident for which each day many drivers visit the temple", said Rabindra Behera the president of the district truck owners' association.

"The scenic beautiful environment of the temple surrounded by hillock attracts thousands of devotees during a week long festival during Magha Saptami in the month of December to January. . At that time thousands of devotees pay obeisance to the deity by offering liquor , meat fish and dry-fish to the deity. Liquor flows like water during the ten day long annual festival", said Narahari Das one of the priests of the temple.(THE END)



JILTED PERSON POURED ACID ON A GIRL
By ASHIS SENAPATI
KENDRAPADA,DATE-2.2.08

A 35-year old jilted married man poured acid on the body of an eighteen year old unmarried girl in village Hatina on Friday evening after the girl spurned his offer to marry him. The victim, Indira Rout(18) daughter of Balaram Rout of village Hatina under Rajnagar block of Kendrapada district suffered 60 percent burn injuries on her face, back , chest and other parts of her body. She was first admitted in the community health center in Rajnagar. Later, she was shifted on Saturday to SCB medical college and hospital, Cuttack as her condition became serious.
The culprit, Udaya Pradhan(35) of village Hatina is the father of two sons. But, he tried to marry the victim girl. He umpteen times threatened Indira to marry her. But, Indira and her parents refused his offer as Udaya was a married person for which the jilted person poured acid on the girl, said S. Panda the Officer-in-Charge of Rajnagar police station.

"The culprit managed to flee from the village after pouring acid on the girl. We are raiding several hideouts of Udaya to arrest him", said the police officer.

Meanwhile, on Saturday at least 300 villagers including many women blocked the main road at Hatina and demanded immediate arrest of the culprit. Naliniprava Tarei, the secretary of the district Democratic women's association met the district collector and demanded stern action against the culprit. The women leader, Tarei has also written letters to the Chairperson of state's women commission and the chairman of state's human right commission to take action against the culprit. She has also alleged that some ruling party leaders are shielding the culprit for which police are not arresting him.

"I directed the police to arrest the culprit who poured acid on the girl", said Kashinath Sahoo the district collector.
Tension has also mounted in the village Hatina when some villagers tried to attack the house of the culprit. Police rushed to the village to take stock of the situation. Several women leaders of the district also demanded before the district administration to provide freed treatment to the girl as her parents have no money to treat her in the SCB medical college and hospital, Cuttack.


NOTORIOUS SIX CRIMINALS INCLUDING GANG LEADER SULEIMAN ARRESTED
By ASHIS SENAPATI
KENDRAPADA,DATE-4.2.08


Police arrested six criminals including notorious gang leader, Malik Suleiman of Kendrapada in Cuttack on Monday. Police officials of Kendrapada and Cuttack jointly arrested the after raiding their hideouts in Cuttack, said Santun Dash the Officer-in-Charge of Kendrapada police station.

All the six arrested criminals have been identified as Malik Suleiman of Garapur village in Kendrapada, Sanjay Sahoo of Athagard, Abdul Wahid of Garapur village in Kendrapada, Bivas Mohanty and Gauranj Biswal of Pakhada village in Kendrapada district and Pabitra Nayak of village Badakula in Kendrapada district.

All the six arrested criminal were involved in many murders, robbery , dacoity and other crimes in Kendrapada, Cuttack, Paradeep, Bhubenswer and other areas of the state, said the police officer. They were also involved in many tender fixing cases in many parts of the state , added the police officer.

All the arrested criminal was booked under sections-302, 307, 395, 341, 506 , 34 of Indian Penal Code and section- 25 of Arms Act. They will be produced in the court at Kendrapada on Tuesday, added the police officer.

Malik Suleiman was evading arrest since more than four months and was hiding in Cuttack. Two years back, Suleiman was released from the Jail at Nayagard after he was acquitted by the court in a murder case. After releasing from the jail, Suleiman managed to obtain a license to get road construction work and he got a tender amount of twenty lakh to repair a five kilometer long road near Kendrapada town, added the police officer.

Police had arrested three months back, seven notorious criminals belonging to notorious Hydar and Sk. Usman alias Tito gangs at Marsaghai on the charges of their involvements in many robbery, theft, dacoity, and other crimes in Paradeep, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Bhubenswer and other areas of the state.

Notorious gang leader Tito had been arrested two years back in Kolakota on the charges of his involvements in many crimes in the state and languishing in the jail and in his absence, his the arrested criminal and other criminals were reigning the crime network in Kendrapada and other areas. Another gang leader, Hydar was also arrested two years back. During the absence of Hydar and Tito, Soleman was reigning the crime networks in Kendrapada and other areas of the state', added the police officer.

"The arrest of six notorious criminals boosted the moral of the police. We managed to nab almost all the gang leaders of all the three gangs", said the police officer.

Eight months back, police arrested three members of Hydar gang on the charges of attacking the house of a congress leader and Panchayat Samiti member, Ganyaranjan Mohanty at Garapur near Kendrapada town. Patakura police had also arrested four months back a gang member of Hydar, Trilochan alias Tulei Behera (27) at Garadapur and seized a pistol from him. Police had also arrested on four months back, three gang members of Hydar, Milan Swain and Basudev Nayak at Haladiagada Chhack on the national highway no-5(A) on the charges of attacking the manager of a construction company, said the police officer.

CENTURY OLD GULNAGARI SARI RELEGATED INTO OBLIVION
ASHIS SENAPATI
,KENDRAPADA,DATE-5.2.08

Once a thriving weaving -art of the 19th century in the state , the 'Gulnagari' thin cotton sari of Kendrapada had relegated into oblivion from the neglect and cynicism shown by the authority. But few age old saris continued to survive in some houses and museums of the state and other parts of the state, including in the Salar Jung museum in Hydrabad , where the saris had perhaps reached during the British period, said researcher Dr Bijaya Mohanty.

The 'Gulnagari ' saris were made of pure cotton threads by the weavers and the thin sari can easily pass through a ring. The weavers also used to keep the thin saris inside bamboos. After the arrival of machine-made saris and other clothes in 1930s , the age old silk saris faced stiff competition and relegated into oblivion, said Mohanty.

Till 1940s, the famous 'Gulnagari' saris used to be sold in the state and other parts of the state. But it went into oblivion at the middle of the 20th century. The 'Gulnagari' saris , slightly a combination of traditions and hand made techniques, thrived all through the 19th century, but died out by the 1940s because the rich and Zaminars people of the state did not find the traditional saris worthy to be considered by them, said Mohanty.

The name of the sari was derived from the village Gulnagar which situates near the bank of the river Govari where the weavers used to weave the thin saris in the past. About 200 weavers of Gulnagar village outskirts of Kendrapada town used to make the pure thin cotton saris till 1940s. But , now few people of the villages remembered their predecessors' past glory.
"At least fifty houses of this village preserved some 'Gulnagari' saris in their houses to remember their age old sari making arts. Some village women worship Goddess Laxmi covered with the "Gulnagari" sari during the festivals. Few family members of the weavers have also preserved tools and instruments for making the century old saris by their predecessors in their houses", said Padmalava Nayak an octogenarian of village Gulnagar.

Kendrapada museum, established by Mustaqu Muhammad had collected at least ten 'Gulnagari saris and some sari making tools from the family members of the weavers ten years back.

"Gulnagar village was under the rule of Raja of Aul till independence and the sari making weavers were also patronised by the Raja of Aul and its neignbour kingdom of Raja of Rajkanika in 19th century. Both the Rajas of Aul and Rajkanika were the proteges of British for which after the arrival of clothes ,saris from England in 1930s ,the royal family members had decided not to help the artisans of Gulnagar as a result the weavers had left their age old weaving of sari works", said Laxmidhar Sutar an octogenarian of village Gulnagar.

" My father and grand –father used to weave saris till 1940s. After independence neither the state government nor any institution had helped us to revive the century old sari making art as a result the famous 'Gulnagari' saris sank into oblivion", said Laxmidhar Nayak(60) of Gulnagar.