Boita Bandana Utsav: Odisha remembers maritime tradition on Kartika Purnima

Bhubaneswar: A month-long ‘habisha’ and five-day ‘Panchuka’ today ended with Boita Bandana Utsav on the occasion of the holy Kartika Purnima across the State.

People from different age groups floated miniature boats on the auspicious occasion at rivers, ponds and sea to mark the rich maritime legacy of ancient Odisha.

The temples across the State witnessed thousands of devotees standing in a queue for darshan of the deities following Boita Bandana at major rivers including Mahanadi, lakes and ponds including Bindusagar in wee hours.

The boats made of paper, banana stem and decorated with diya (earthen lamp), betel leaf, betel nut and flowers were sailed in numbers by devotees reciting a local phrase ”Aa Ka Ma Boi, Pana Gua Thoi, Pana Gua Tora, Masaka Dharama Mora” on the occasion.

Thousands of devotees were seen making a beeline at the Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar after floating miniature boats in Bindusagar. The similar scene was found in pilgrim city Puri where the devotees observing ‘habisha’ and ‘panchuka’ were in a long queue in front of Singhadwar of Srimandir to have darshan of Lord Jagannath in Suna Besha (golden attire).

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wished people on the auspicious occasion for the progress of the State.

Taking to the microblogging site Twitter, he wrote:

ପବିତ୍ର କାର୍ତ୍ତିକ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣିମା ଓ ବୋଇତ ବନ୍ଦାଣ ଉତ୍ସବରେ ରାଜ୍ୟବାସୀଙ୍କୁ ଆନ୍ତରିକ ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା। ସାଧବ ପୁଅଙ୍କ ନୌବାଣିଜ୍ୟ ପରମ୍ପରା ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ଗୌରବମୟ ଓ ସମୃଦ୍ଧିଶାଳୀ ଅତୀତର ପରିଚୟ। ଏହାକୁ ସ୍ମରଣ କରି ଆଜିଠାରୁ ଆରମ୍ଭ ହେଉଛି ବାଲିଯାତ୍ରା ଉତ୍ସବ। ଆମ ଗରିମାମୟ ଇତିହାସକୁ ସ୍ମରଣ କରି ଆସନ୍ତୁ ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ପ୍ରଗତି ପାଇଁ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ କରିବା। pic.twitter.com/gCoyYQGPIE

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) November 23, 2018

On the other hand, the historic Bali Jatra commenced on banks of the Mahanadi River in Cuttack to remember the glorious maritime tradition of the State.

The festival will be held for 10 days this year.