Schoolchildren set sail a paper boat on the eve of Boita Bandana and (below) a roadside vendor sells handmade miniature boats in Bhubaneswar. Pictures by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 9: As Kartik Purnima is going to be observed across the state on Thursday, devotees in the twin cities are collecting handcrafted paper and shola boats for Boita Bandana, the ritual of sailing miniature boats.

This year, markets are full of creative designs representing the traditional Boita (traders’ boat). In the Millennium City, where Kartik Purnima marks the commencement of Bali yatra, everyone will throng the Mahanadi bank to sail the little boats early in the morning. The boat sellers in the city have come up with interesting shapes and sizes of the dongas or boats for the rituals of Donga Bhasani (sailing of boats).

One finds small boats prepared out of cardboard and wrapped with zari. Similarly, flags, and swan-shaped features are accentuated by glitter and sequins. Large boats prepared out of shola are also popular. “I love this ritual. Visiting the Mahanadi river early in the morning and sailing boats along with thousands of people has its own charm. Thus, I have bought a huge colourful boat that has a couple of storeys where I can easily set the earthen lamp, fruits and flowers,” said Swetashree Sahoo, a college student.

Shops in the capital also offers unique boats designs. From small ones that are priced at only Rs 2 to large ones that come for a few hundred rupees, traders in the Unit-I market area and along side the city streets are selling a variety of boats.

“Most of the buyers are opting for the huge shola boats. The highly decorated ones are also in demand. People who have already collected a number of boats usually go for the smaller ones,” said boatseller Dipu Mohanty. The preparation for a stock of 50,000 boats at their manufacturing centres starts much ahead of the day of Boita Bandana, he said.

“The preparation usually begins about three to four months before Kartik Purnima. The boats are usually manufactured in Jatni, Barang and Kakatpur,” said Mohanty.

Apart from the paper and shola boats, many also go for the traditional boats created out of banana stem. The devotees who sail the boats decorate it with an earthen lamp and offerings such as bananas, flowers and coins and recite the verse Aa ka ma boi while sailing it. The event is observed near water bodies. Devotees will throng the Mahanadi and Kathjodi rivers in Cuttack and Kathjodi and Daya rivers in Bhubaneswar on the festival day.