Baripada 16/01 (Fast News Odisha) Damodar Mela of tribal and Santali community has started today at Baruni Ghat in Baripada. Here, the tribal people, especially the Santal community, gather for the collective burial of the bones of the dead, with lakhs of people from different deserts of Odisha including Jharkhand, West Bengal. According to the traditional tradition, thousands of families offer Shraddha and Til Tarpan and immerse their relatives and fathers’ bones here. However, as today is the first day of Damodar Mela, Baruni Sunamucha ghat of Baripada city is moving. This traditional festival, which will last for 3 days, starts every year after 2 days of Makar Sankranti ie from January 16th to 18th. It is seen that people of Santali community come to this Damdore fair, dressed in colorful new clothes in Rajkiya style and playing Bayukshi along with Maded and Dhumsa. The place has now become a festival due to the Kautukiyas dressed in traditional costumes and performing dances. According to the traditions of the Santal community, the bones of those who died during the family year are preserved. And after the Makar Parva, in this ghat called Triveni Sangam, in the traditional ritual, they worship the Shaal tree as a thakura, place offerings there, take a deep breath, and disperse the bones collectively. “The Santal community feels proud after such a collective burial of bones, and it is believed that the past men will find peace,” said Ganesh Hembram, Madhusudan Murmu, Singrai Hembram Major, who came to disperse the bones. However, in view of the large crowd at Baruni Ghat, the police and the district administration have imposed extensive restrictions, said Sunaram Soren, the adviser of the fair organizing committee.