King Dodan
Dodan Thana is a shrine dedicated to Sri Sri Rishi located at Bayda, 18 km from Agia in Goalpara district of Assam. A fair is held here every year from Shukla Mahashtami to Ekadashi of Fagun. The Rabhas have been celebrating it as a festival since The fair is held to worship ShiVa (Rishi) and pay tribute to the brave king Dodan and Marukshetri, the commander of the army of Dodan. Although Shakta worship was practiced at the Dodan Mela in the past, it is now worshiped according to Vaishnava rituals.
King Dodan History
The Rabha community is an ethnic group of Sino-Tibetan origin living in Assam. According to folklore, Dadan was the ancestral king of the Rabhas. This highly powerful King Dodan was reportedly first a general of King Bana. However, some believe that Dadan was King Bana's nephew. Others also believe that King Bana's eldest son, Indradaman, was actually Dadan.Upon learning that Sri Krishna's grandson, Aniruddha, had entered into a Gandharva marriage (secret wedding) with his daughter Usha inside the Agnigarh fort, King Bana imprisoned him using the Nagapasha (serpent noose). Hearing of this, Sri Krishna arrived and waged war against King Bana. In this battle, known as the Hari-Hara War, King Bana's army was scattered. The chief general, Dadan, was also injured in the battle, abandoned the kingdom, and eventually came to 'Dakshin Kol' to establish his own realm. Dadan, along with Marukhetri, his kinsmen, and ministers, arrived in Tura-Phulbari and established a permanent kingdom there.The Rabhas are followers of the Shakta sect. Since Dadan was a devotee of Shiva, the Rabhas consider Shiva (Rishi) as their primary deity. Various traditional songs and dances of the Rabha community are performed at this fair, alongside other attractions like a circus, cinema, and a Meena Bazaar (amusement bazaar).
References
2.https://dipankarrabha.wordpress.com/2020/06/03/the-rabhas-history-literature-and-culture/