Bhubaneswar, Nov. 25: Thousands of people thronged rivers and other water bodies in the state today to celebrate Boita Bandana.
The festival, which marks the end of the month of Kartik and celebrates the state's maritime tradition, witnessed people of all ages sailing miniature boats adorned with incense sticks, earthen lamps, flowers, fruits and coins in the water.
A huge rush had gathered at the Bindusagar tank near Old Town in the city to celebrate the festival that began with the traditional conch-blowing ceremony and chanting of religious mantras, following which the boats were set sail.
Jamuna Singh, a 27-year-old bank employee, who had come with her husband, chose a boat made of paper with laces added on the edges. "I have been coming here since the past 15 years. The festival comes once in a year, so we did not want to miss the chance," said Singh.
Apart from paper boats, the ones made from shola or polystyrene were also sailed. Many chose to sail the traditional miniature boats made out of banana stem.
The devotees also thronged the banks of the Daya and Kuakhai rivers as well as the Gangua canal to celebrate the festival.
According to popular belief, traders from the state used to go to far-off islands such as Bali, Java, Sumatra and Sri Lanka by sea in boats called boitas for trading purposes. It is believed that the seafarers used to begin their journey on Kartik purnima.
The festival was celebrated with equal enthusiasm in Cuttack. People went with their families to various ghats of the Mahanadi and Kathajodi and other major water bodies in the city to sail their boats.
"The sight of hundreds of small boats sailing in the rivers gives rise to a wonderful sight. I have come here not only to sail a boat, but also to witness the huge gathering of people," said Subhashree Mishra, a 29-year-old state government employee.
Large number of devotees thronged the Puri temple where Lord Jagannath was dressed up as Rajarajeswar and bedecked with gold, known as Suna Besha. The Boita Bandana rituals were also observed at the 129-year-old Chandbali Port in Bhadrak. Similar celebrations took place in places such as Dhenkanal, Kendrapara, Rourkela and Balasore.
A number of cultural programmes were also held across the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar today to mark the occasion. The legend of the maritime tradition was relived through plays, while dance and musical programmes were also held.
Odias living outside the state, too, observed the ritual. They sailed homemade paper boats in nearby water bodies to celebrate the festival.
The festival, however, was not entirely devoid of tragedies. Two girls, both aged five, drowned in a water body in Jajpur while two other children, aged seven and three, drowned in a village pond at Khantapara in Balasore.
New trend
This year, the Boita Bandana rituals witnessed a new trend in Bhubaneswar. While a number of people flocked to nearby ponds and rivers, several chose to set afloat their boats in small tubs and swimming pools to save time and avoid the huge rush at the major water bodies.
Youngsters and working women were seen sailing boats in small tubs at their homes, while in many other places, temporary water tanks were set up for people to celebrate the festival. At a number of places such as Nayapalli, Unit-9, Saheed Nagar and Patia, people sailed their boats in several such temporary water bodies.
"I had to attend office as I did not get an off. So, there was no time for me to rush to Bindusagar tank or any other water body to celebrate the festival. My children and I used our water tub instead," said Monalisa Jena, a 36-year-old IT professional.
Many residents said these temporary water tanks were useful, as they were not polluting the rivers and ponds. "One can remove the water tanks after use and dispose of the remnants in a safe place. Celebrating the festival in natural water bodies have exposed those to pollution threat," said Chinmay Mohanty, a 23-year-old college student.
