Folktale tells how bride became a goddess in Chilika Lake
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In a folktale from India, a young bride named Jai travelled by boat with her father across Chilika Lake, a large lagoon, to reach her new home on Parikud Island.
Jai wept throughout the journey, distressing her father who knew she feared leaving her family and facing an uncertain future with a much older husband. The boatman, experienced with ferrying passengers, understood the father’s sadness stemmed from giving his daughter away.
As the boat travelled, Jai remembered her childhood, her friends, and the comfort of her village. She worried about being so far from her family and questioned why her father was sending her away. Her father, recalling a past promise made to a temple deity, felt helpless to answer her fears. During the voyage, a cyclone arose and the boat capsized.
Locals tell stories about Chilika Lake, including one about a battle mistakenly avoided because of pelicans mistaken for enemy soldiers. The story recounts how Jai ultimately became a goddess, though the article does not detail the events of the capsizing or her transformation.
