Odias Celebrate ‘Boita Bandana’ At Delhi’s Hauz Khas Jagannath Temple

New Delhi: Kartika Purnima festival and Boita Bandana ceremony were celebrated at the Jagannath Temple at Hauz Khas in New Delhi amid fanfare, enthusiasm and religious fervour.

Organised by the Temple’s Management Committee, Shri Neelachal Seva Sangha, the festival was attended by hundreds of Odias and others. Since this year’s Kartika Purnima was being celebrated without covid restrictions, unprecedented enthusiasm was witnessed among the participants.

The entire temple compound was colourfully decorated and the rituals were performed in front of the sibling deities in the main shrine. The priests also performed the puja at the decked up boat docked in the pond. The women assembled at the site performed the traditional aarti.

Amid chanting of the famous lines, ‘Aaa Kaa Maa Bai’, the participants under the stewardship of Temple’s Secretary Ravindranath Pradhan initiated the auspicious sailing of the boat. The air got reverberated with the sounds of ‘Haribol and Huluhuli’, blowing of conch shells, recitals of Bhajan and Keertan and playing of musical instruments like Ghanta, Kartala, Mardala, Jhanja and Mrudanga.

The sight of the beautiful boat in the pond water around the fountain, signifying the symbolic re-enactment of the historical voyage of Odia merchants to far off Bali island displaying their valour, vanity and vast resources, was mesmerizing. The event spoke volumes on the maritime golden history, rich tradition and vibrant cultural ethos of Odisha.

The devotees were offered delicious Habisha Prasad specially prepared by the temple authorities.