Sambit Patra, the national spokesperson for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), walked on burning coals as a mark of obeisance at the ongoing Jhamu Jatra in Puri district of Odisha. He walked around 10 meters on a burning coal bed on Tuesday, and later tweeted about the experience, stating he participated in the pilgrimage of Rebati Raman village and worshipped his mother by walking on fire to seek her blessings and to wish happiness and prosperity to the villagers. Patra had contested from Puri Lok Sabha constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls but lost to Pinaki Mishra of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) by 10,000 votes. Jhamu Jatra is a penance where devotees inflict pain on themselves by walking on fire or piercing nails their bodies to appease the Mother Goddess Dulan for the fulfillment of desires according to tradition.
