In Ordana village of Bokaro district's Petarwar block stands a temple with no idol and no modern facilities, yet devotees travel from Bokaro, Ramgarh and even distant regions to visit it. Known as the Khuta Baba temple, this shrine is believed to be more than 100 years old, and locals say anyone who prays here with a sincere heart has their wish granted by Khuta Baba.
Worship happens on bare ground, in tribal tradition
Unlike most temples, there is no idol installed here. The deity is worshipped directly in the ground by a Pujar Pahan, a tribal priest, following traditional tribal customs. Offerings placed before the deity include arwa rice, vermilion, coconut and dhoona, an incense resin, along with country liquor. Worship takes place every day only between 8 am and 1 pm, and it is during this window that devotees arrive to make their offerings.
Animal sacrifice, and prasad that cannot leave the premises
The temple also follows an old tradition of animal sacrifice. Devotees offer a black or red hen while asking for a wish to be granted, while a white goat or white hen is sacrificed once the wish is fulfilled. The temple committee charges a nominal fee for this, ₹11 for a hen and ₹21 for a goat. Once the sacrificial offering is prepared as prasad, it must be eaten within the temple premises itself; it is not allowed to be carried outside.
Faith passed down across five generations
According to Pahan Arjun, worship at this site has continued for more than 100 years and across five generations of the tribal community's ancestors. In the beginning, this faith was limited only to Ordana village, but as people's wishes kept getting fulfilled, word spread through relatives and acquaintances, and Khuta Baba's reputation travelled far and wide. Today, devotees arrive not just from Bokaro and Ramgarh but also from remote parts of Jharkhand and Bengal.
Women are not allowed inside
Another distinct tradition tied to the Khuta Baba temple is that women have been barred from entering it for years. Women devotees fold their hands and seek blessings from outside the temple premises instead. Some devotees believe that if a woman enters the temple, something untoward could happen to her, or she could fall mentally unwell.
A 40-kilometre journey on the strength of word of mouth
Nitesh Bediya, a devotee who came to offer prayers, said, I had heard about Khuta Baba's glory from people in my own village. He travelled around 40 kilometres from Ludru Beda village to reach the temple, and it was this faith that ultimately brought him here. Like him, several devotees arrive at Khuta Baba's temple every day, drawn purely by stories passed on by others.
