Utkal University students take part in the puja rituals at the varsity. Pictures by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 4: Paying obeisance to the goddess of knowledge, music and creative arts, the student community across the city celebrated Saraswati Puja with a riot of colours and zest.

Most of the educational institutions arranged for a religious gathering on the campus premises here.

The day, also known as Basant Panchami, marks the procurement of wood, the first step towards rath yatra.

The idol makers had a brisk sale on the eve of the festival, as small idols were picked for homes and the bigger ones were taken by the institutes.

Similarly, festoons, incense sticks and other puja items also sold like hot cakes. Students made rangoli motifs using colours as well as flower petals to decorate the space in front of the idol.

The miniature pandals made of cane and bamboo were also much in demand as they were easy to decorate.

The pandals were priced between Rs 250 and Rs 1,000. The members of Telugu community, who come to the state capital during festivals to do some brisk business, usually make the pandals.

The day, despite being a holiday, saw students flocking to schools and colleges. Many girls wore yellow suits and saris, a colour that symbolises the advent of spring.

At the Utkal University entrance, the Puja was held at around 10am. The students kept their books near the six-foot idol of the goddess that was decorated with garlands.

“This is my last year in the varsity and I wish to graduate with flying colours. I prayed for better marks and a good future for myself, my friends and siblings,” said Tarini Sahoo, a final-year law student.

After the puja was over, students enjoyed delicious prasad and a vegetarian meal.

In the same way, celebrations took place in all departments of the varsity as well as at BJB College, Rama Devi Women’s College and several other educational institutions across the city and the state.

For the school students, the day was full of fun as is it was also a “no study day”.

All across the city, students could be seen enjoying their daylong freedom as they moved from one school to another in groups. The girls had a gala time as they donned their best attire on the occasion.

The day also marked the procurement of wood for the rath yatra chariots in Puri.

Though the carpenters would commence building it only after seeking Aagyan mala, the garland of permission from Lord Jagannath on Akshaya Tritiya, they started collecting the logs that were kept on the road at Ratha Khala near the temple from today.

A 10-day cultural convention titled Jagannath Chetna also began in the pilgrim city today.