Potter Families Light Lamps and Pray for Peace on the 25th Anniversary of the Super Cyclone
Kakatpur: 30/10
Report: Tushar Dixit
It has been 25 years since the devastating Super Cyclone of 1999. On this occasion, over 50 potter families residing in Ostapur village of the Astaranga region along Odisha’s coast observed a unique tribute. They lit lamps and held a silent village procession in memory of those who lost their lives during the calamity.
These families belong to the traditional potter community (Kumbhakar), whose ancestral occupation is to shape clay on a wheel into various forms, particularly clay lamps (diyas), pots, and vessels, which they sell in the market. The horrifying scenes they witnessed during the 1999 cyclone left a deep mark, and in hopes that such a disaster never returns, they took this heartfelt initiative.
Beginning from young girls and women to every household in the village, people lit lamps and walked through the streets of the village offering prayers for peace for the departed souls of Astaranga who perished in the cyclone. The Mahambati Jali (lamp-lit procession) served as both a remembrance and a message of awareness for all.
The ritual of offering lamps was dedicated to Goddess Mangala and Lord Jagannath, seeking divine blessings. The event saw participation from individuals like Kailash Chandra Muduli, Shantilata Muduli, and Suprabha Muduli, along with many other potter families. These families make a living by crafting clay products and selling them to the public.
Their noble gesture during the 25th anniversary of the Super Cyclone has been widely praised across different circles in Astaranga. At a time when their ancestral profession is being threatened by cheaper Chinese alternatives, intellectuals and local leaders have appealed to the government to provide support and special incentives to sustain and preserve this traditional livelihood.
