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Sati pyre burning for 247 years in Orissa

It may sound incredible but the flame of a funeral pyre in which 'Pattarani' Chandrama Devi became sati in 1788, is still burning in a room for last 247 years.

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BERHAMPUR: It may sound incredible but the flame of a funeral pyre in which former Raja Saheb of Dharakote Krushna Singh's 'Pattarani' Chandrama Devi became sati in 1788, is still burning in a room for last 247 years.
  
One may describe it as glorification of Sati. But the royal heirs have kept the sati flame burning during all these years as a mark of respect to their family traditions.
  
The flame popularly known as 'Sati Chita' is still burning in a room at 'Sati Math,' situated at the entrance of the Dharakote Gada, an erstwhile feudal state in present Ganjam district 53 kms away from here.
  
Spreading over an area of nine acre of land covered with mango, jackfruit, coconut, phasi, sal and teak trees, Braja Mohan Das, the Mahanta with saffron dress presently residing at the 'Sati Math' has been managing daily rituals there besides keeping up the 'Sati Chita'.
  
Braja Mohan has been staying in the 'Sati Math' since 1950 and before him Talapata Baba, Nirakar Das, Balaram Das,Jagannath Das, Janaki Mata, Tulsi Das, Naran Das, Nilamani Das, Gopal Das and Satyabadi Das were the Mahantas of the 'Sati Math' who kept running the Math along with the 'Sati Chita' for centuries.
 
One youth Krupa Sindhu Das has already been identified as the next Mahanta of the 'Sati Math' to keep the tradition alive.
  
The Mahanta offers puja to 'Sati Chita' in the morning every day and then closes the door of the room during the mid-day. He also offers puja to Lord Ramachandra and Goddess Sita in a separate room.

When he died his queen became Sati by entering the funeral pyre of her husband.
  
The practice of keeping the 'Sati Chita' burning followed immediately by the order of Raja Saheb Rajendra Singh who ascended the throne during 1788 after the death of Krushna Singh, said Braja Mohan.
  
According to Barja Mohan once Raja Saheb was returning to the palace from hunting and was forced to take immediate rest after intermittent rain and bad light.
  
He saw a ray of light sparkling from a place covered with different varieties of trees. When he proceeded further, he
discovered the light was emanated from a hut where there was no drops of rain and one sadhu was sitting in meditation.
  
When Rajendra Singh asked the reason, the sadhu pointed his finger to the flame where Chandrama Devi entered into the funeral pyre of her husband Krushna Singh.
  
Rajendra Singh was highly impressed by knowing this and arranged building and lands for the Math immediately. Presently the Math has 12 acre of agricultural land in near-by Narendrapur, Kirtipur and Sahaspur in Ganjam district.
  
Special functions are being held in the 'Sati Math' on the occasion of Dussera, Janma stami, Dol Purnima and Ganesh Puja when the residents of the near-by villages are served with prasad.   
  
The place was earlier regarded as the cremation ground for the royal family members since 1477, during the rule of Raja Saheb Hadu Singh. But  after the death of Chandrama Devi during 1788, the place was termed as sati math.
  
It was the month of Baisakhi and the tithi was Shukla Panchami, as record revealed. At present, there are 20 tombs of the royal family members situated in the 'Sati Math'and many are in dilapidated conditions.
  
A total of sixteen rulers of Dharakote Gada have died so far. Two of the queens including Chandrama Devi have become 'sati,' record  says.
  
"Sati Math is the Abadhuta Gadi of our royal family and we are still in dark about the intention of the Sati Chitad. But we respect the family traditions and the flame is still burning," says present royal scion and Member of Orissa Legislative Assembly Raja Kishore Chandra Singh Deo.

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