The whole village is empty for 12 hours, people leave the houses deserted and go to the forest, the tradition of this village is amazing

West Champaran.A tradition has been going on in the Tharuhat regions located in the Bagaha subdivision of the district, which is very unique and thrilling in itself. Even in this modern era, considering nature as its deity and protector, how is 12 hours spent in his honor, the unique example of this is seen in the Tharuhat region called the heart of Bihar. Every year on the Navami date of Vaishakh month, the entire village of Tharuhat goes into the forests for 12 hours.

The scene becomes something like a lockdown situation has been established in the entire area. Neither no one stops in his house nor does any work go to business. As such, every activity for 12 hours comes to a standstill.

People leave the village and go to the forests

Talking to Local 18 on this unique belief, Nirmala Devi of Naurangia Don located in Ramnagar block says that this special practice of Tharuhat is known as Barna. Many decades ago, there was a havoc of terrible epidemic and natural disasters in the village. Sometimes a fierce incident like cholera and sometimes agitation had become common. The villagers consulted the saints for prevention. The men advised the villagers to worship nature on a special coincidence. During this time, every villagers will have to leave their home and work worry and take shelter in the forest for 12 hours and worship other deities along with nature.

Mother Durga is worshiped in the forest

According to the Hindi calendar, a special day of worship was scheduled on the Navami date of Vaishakh month. Since then, the people of Naurangia leave all their business and take refuge in the Bhajani Kutti forest of Valmiki Tiger Reserve for a day and worship other deities including Maa Durga. During this time, food is also arranged in the forests. At the late night after sunset, the villagers return to their homes again and purify their houses with water brought from the temple. It is believed that this water purifies the house and the goddess remains blessed.

This practice has been going on for centuries

The most important thing about this tradition is that every person, whether a child or an elderly, healthy or sick, goes to the forest. It is a matter of astonishing that incidents like theft in houses do not occur during the forest going. Like Newrangia, such practices are prevalent in other Tharuhat areas of the district. For a long time, people here have been playing this tradition with full devotion.