A Gajalakshmi idol at Kharavela Nagar in Bhubaneswar on Monday.

The Gajalakshmi Puja, which began on Monday, brought in a wave of festivities across the state. The 11-day festival is celebrated with grandeur in Dhenkanal, where around 38 puja pandals on innovative themes have been erected. The Lakshmi Puja festivity in Dhenkanal draws crowd from across the state.

Security has been beefed up to ensure safety with 18 platoons of police and one bomb disposal squad being deployed in Dhenkanal. While traffic management is a major focus for the police this year, they are also taking precautions to prevent any untoward incident.

"We do not have any input of threats from terror outfits. But, we are taking measures to tackle all sorts of challenges, which includes traffic management. A deputy superintendent and a deputy commandant have been deputed to ensure smooth flow of traffic and impose regulation throughout the city during the Puja," superintendent of police, Dhenkanal, Nikhil Kanodia told The Telegraph.

Kendrapara also bears a magnificent look with attractive lighting and colourful decoration at the 67 pandals being erected in the township.

In Bhubaneswar, the idols of the Goddess Lakshmi at Unit-VIII, Kharavela Nagar, Ashok Nagar and Bapuji Nagar have been decorated with silver and gold jewellery.

The state is also gearing up to celebrate Kumar Purnima on Tuesday. Young unmarried girls across the state will offer prayers to Lord Kartikeswara in the hope to get a good life partner. A two-day Kumar Utsav festival was also conducted at Rabindra Mandap in Bhubaneswar to mark the occasion.