The festive atmosphere of Navratri is widespread, however, the Durga Puja held in Gumo, Koderma district, Jharkhand, distinguishes itself. The occasion embodies a 600-year-old heritage that involves an annual sacrifice of over 3,000 goats. This practice is integral to the nine-day Durga Puja, starting from the Kalash installation and continuing through Navami. Notably, the ritual includes a special recitation derived from a manual of ancestral mantras, which is preserved and only opened during the puja.
Dashrath Pandey, the temple’s chief priest, recounts that Gumo was governed by two brothers, Ratan Sai and Mardan Sai, in 1400 AD. They initiated the Durga Puja during Navratri. The expanding influence of the Mughals forced them to abandon their रियासत. Prior to their departure, the responsibility for the puja and the temple’s upkeep was transferred to their family priests, Jiyaram Pandey, Ramsevak Pandey, and Abhay Ram Pandey.
