Berhampur: On the eve of Kartik Purnima, markets in the city are flooded with miniature boats made from banana stem and paper, as residents prepare to celebrate Boita Bandana on Friday.
The festival, commemorating the rich maritime history of ancient Kalinga, sees hundreds of women gathering at dawn to float boats carrying lamps in various water bodies.
Decorated paper boats of various sizes, priced between Rs 50 and Rs 200, have replaced plastic and thermocol versions following govt restrictions on non-biodegradable material.
Environmental activist Sudhir Rout has urged citizens to be mindful of water pollution during the celebration. “We are appealing to people not to contaminate the water bodies with miniature boats,” Rout said.
The coastal town of Gopalpur is expected to draw large crowd for the festival. For the first time, the district administration will host an official function, with state commerce and transport minister Bibhuti Jena as chief guest.
Police authorities have announced deployment of adequate forces, including women personnel, at Gopalpur and Dhabaleswar near Golabandha to maintain law and order. Lifeguards will be stationed at Gopalpur beach to prevent any untoward incident.