Artistes perform during Sital Sasthi celebrations in Sambalpur on Friday. 

Divine wedding of Lord Shiv and Goddess Parvati was celebrated with fanfare across the state on Thursday night.

The festival is conceived like a real marriage of a man with a woman from two different families and two couples of the city perform the role of parents of the couple. 

The festival started in 17th century in Sambalpur. Earlier, the divine wedding was organised in Someswar Baba temple. However, now several other Shiv temples observe it. Text by Subrat Mohanty, Telegraph picture