Odisha today embraced a vibrant celebration as lakhs of devotees across the state converged on rivers, ponds and coastal shores to observe the festival of Boita Bandana on the occasion of Kartik Purnima.
The ritual-rich event commemorates the maritime legacy of ancient Kalinga, where Odia mariner-merchants (“Sadhabas”) sailed to far-flung lands in Southeast Asia.
From early morning, large crowds gathered at water bodies including the historic Bindusagar in Bhubaneswar’s Old Town and key river-front ghats in Cuttack such as Gadagadia Ghat on the Mahanadi and Debi Ghat on the Kathjodi. Many also assembled at the sea beach in Puri to participate in the ritual.
Participants fashioned miniature boats out of banana stems, paper, thermocol and other locally available materials, decorating them with lamps, flowers, incense sticks, coins, betel leaves and nuts. These boats were floated on the water as symbolic offerings for prosperity, safe journeys and in remembrance of their maritime-ancestors.
The traditional chant “Aa Ka Ma Boi – Pana Gua Thoi – Pana Gua Tora – Masaka Dharama Mora – Boita Bandana Ho!” resounded along the ghats, evoking the bygone era of ocean-trade and explorers from the region.
This year’s observance also ushered in the annual seven-day open-air fair Bali Yatra in Cuttack, which further underscores Odisha’s seafaring tradition and its historic links with Bali, Java, Sumatra, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.
More than a religious or family ritual, Boita Bandana serves as a cultural bridge connecting modern generations with the seafaring heritage of their forebears. It honours not only the traders who ventured across the Bay of Bengal but also the communities that prayed and sent them forth in hope and devotion.
With devotional vigour, scenic waterside settings and a legacy of trade and exchange, the festival reaffirmed Odisha’s maritime identity and offered a moment of collective remembrance, prayer and celebration.
