Danda Nata festival comes to halt

The ongoing 'danda nata' festival, a popular folk dance of Ganjam district in Odisha, came to a halt yesterday as the devotees failed to worship the Lord due to lunar eclipse.
Danduas, participants in the seasonal dance, performed all rituals before sunrise yesterday.
They took rest on different temple premises and started their journey after completion of eclipse at 8 last night.
"All rituals had stopped due to the eclipse," said Bipra Behera of a danda nata troupe. Besides performing the dances in hot summer, known as dhuli danda, they perform dances in ponds during evening (pani danda) and walk on fire (agni danda) at midnight.

Except dhuli danda, he said, pani danda and agni danda were held as usual as the lunar eclipse was complete by that time.
Danduas are invited by families and organisations and accordingly they keep on performing at scheduled places. Danduas worship Shiva and Shakti. The ritual will end on Maha Visubha Shankranti on April 14.
Danduas walk miles bare foot to perform the dance, which includes mostly physical sufferings. Danduas lead a pious life throughout the festival.
Drawn from various castes, thousands of danduas perform with strict discipline. They eat only once a day at midnight.