FOC
A total of 113 Vanvasis who had embraced Christianity due to certain reasons, returned to the Hindu fold at Bonei subdivision of Sundergarh district in Orissa on December 25, at a homecoming ceremony organised by the local unit of Vishwa Hindu Parishad. It was the second major instance of homecoming in the district during the last few months.
According to reports, the Vanvasis who have returned to the Hindu fold belong to six predominantly Vanvasi villages where the Christian missionaries had been concentrating for a long time. Once the Hindu leaders came to know that the missionaries had struck deep roots in the area, they launched a counter-offensive by taking up a series of social welfare activities including efforts to educate the children of Vanvasis. As a result, they succeeded in winning back the confidence of the people of the area. The enthusiasm of the returnees was quite evident during the ceremony when the organisers held a kalash yatra and a yajna. Over 500 villagers participated in the rituals marked by chanting of Vedic mantras and singing of devotional songs.
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