The Sadhava’s Cargo

Devotees performing rituals of 'Boita bandaana' on the occassion of Kartik Purnima celebrated to remember the past maritime glory of Odisha at an artificial pond near Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar on Monday. On this day Odia sailors used to embark on sea voyages to foreign shores of countries like riLanka, Indonesia, Java, Sumatra,Thailand, Maldives etc.

What did the sadhavas carry in their magnificent boats? Historical evidence suggests the cargo consisted of ivory, textiles, precious stones, rice and betel nuts among other items. Elephants from Odisha were in great demand in Sri Lanka. It means our ancients were skilled at taming wild elephants and had boats strong enough to transport the heavy animal. They brought back precious metals such as gold and silver, pearls, spices and silk.