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Time For The Festivity
The whole month of 'Kartika' is considered to be the most sacred among
all the twelve months of the year. During this month all the pious Hindus
refrain from eating fish, meat or egg. All of them take pre-dawn bath and
visit temples as a matter of routine. The last five days are considered
more sacred, in which there is wide participation. Taken together the days
are called 'Panchaka', the last day being the "Kartika Purnima".
Every day they take food only once in the afternoon which is known as
'Habisha'.
A Five Day Celebration
For all the five days the women after purificatory bath in the early
morning draw beautiful flower-designs around the 'chaura' (a small temple
like structure with a 'Tulsi' plant overhead) with colour powders produced
indigenously. Fasting for the day is commonly observed. Most of the Shiva
temples get crowded with devotees offering prayers to Lord Shiva who is
said to have killed the demon 'Tripurasura' on this day. Group singing of
'kirtans' and loud beating of 'Mrudanga' and cymbals continue for the
whole day.
Boita Bandana - An Ancient Festival
Another festival that takes place in the morning is significant to the
ancient history of Orissa. This reminds the maritime
glory of the State. In olden days the 'Sadhabas' (Sea traders) used to
sail off to distant islands like Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Ceylon etc. for
their trade by huge boats ('Boita'). The women of the community were
giving them a hearty send off on this day. The days are now gone, but the
memory is still alive. Now, people float tiny boats made out of cork and
coloured paper or bark of the banyan tree while reminiscing the past
glory. This is called "Boita Bandana".
The next fortnight of the month is spent propitiating the dead ancestors.
In every evening, a covered but perforated earthen pot carrying an earthen
lamp inside is hoisted to a pole to help guide the ancestral spirits to
descend on their respective villages and homes. The members of a family
light a bunch of jute-stalks with the invocation "Oh! The ancestors
come in the darkness and go in the light." This is called "Badabadua
Paka".
Bali Yatra
In the city of Cuttack and some other places
huge images of "Kartikeswar" are built and worshipped. At night
they are taken out in procession and are immersed in the river
Mahanadi, near a Shiva temple.
Exactly at this place a big fair known as "Bali Yatra" is held
for about three-four days. The name of the festival has two significances.
Some are of opinion that on this day the Sadhabas were sailing off to Bali
and therefore, the name. Some others believe that 'Sri Chaitanya' the
great Vaishnavite saint of Bengal on his way to
Puri landed on this
day at Cuttack after crossing the sand-bed (Sand is 'Bali') of the river
Mahanadi.
Thousands of People congregate at the fairground where innumerable
varieties of goods are bought and sold. People also enjoy boating with
friends and family in the moonlit night.