Little girls of the Puri servitors’ families dress up in traditional attires for the Neta puja. Pictures by Sarat Patra

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 9: For eight-year-old Lisha, wearing sari and putting on traditional ornaments from head to toe is an exciting affair, especially since it is an exclusive occasion for girls.

Beaming with smiles, the little girls from the servitors’ families of Puri took part in the Neta puja, an ancient ritual.

Wearing the typical Puri attires, girls aged four and above carried five varieties of fruits and vegetables such as coconut, corn, banana and watermelon as they walked to the Markendeya pond near the Jagannath temple.

After singing traditional hymns there in praise of Lord Shiv, they offered the food items to the deity.

The festival that began toady will continue till Navami on Sunday, and till then, the girls will be visiting the pond every day.

“I love the fact that we are offered to eat as many fruits as we wish to during this festival. I am sure Lord Jagannath and Lord Shiv will be happy to see me in this beautiful saree,” said a 10-year-old Mani.

“I wish they would help me secure better scores at school,” she smiled.

Originally, the girls belonging to the servitors’ families used to observe the puja and fasted for Lord Shiv to get good husband. It was also believed that the puja would help them grow strong faith in Lord Jagannath. But now as things and mindsets have changed, the girls’ guardians carry on with this traditional ritual primarily to seek blessings for the tiny devotee’s good future.

“Nowadays, only a few families allow their girls to observe the ritual. With change in times, wishing for a good husband at a young age is no more the trend. But, it is nice that some families still feel that the ritual that makes the little girls happy and carries on the temple’s heritage must be continued and they make efforts to do so,” said senior servitor Rabi Narayan Mohapatra.

The girls wear paata saris that were saved for the ritual for them by their ancestors.

They also put on floral crowns to decorate their hair and wear arm and wristbands made of silver, much like an Odissi costume.

After worshipping Lord Shiv, they visit their elders and seek blessings.