Berhampur: The coastal town of Gopalpur-on-Sea in Ganjam district came alive in the early hours Friday as crowds gathered to celebrate the Boita Bandana.
Ganjam district administration organized the festival for the first time in the beach resort town, with commerce and transport minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena inaugurating the celebrations. The event commemorates the rich maritime heritage of ancient Kalinga, the modern day Odisha.
Young performers, dressed as ‘sadhavas’ sailed in decorated boats in a ceremony flagged off by Jena. Local artists presented cultural programmes on the festival’s significance. “This celebration honours our ancestors who embarked on annual maritime trade voyages to South-east Asian countries, establishing Kalinga as a prominent maritime power,” said Jena.
The festivities saw enthusiastic participation from locals, particularly women, who launched miniature boats made of banana stems and paper, adorned with lit lamps, betel leaves, and nuts. The traditional chant of “aa kaa ma bhai” echoed along the shoreline as participants performed the ritual. “These chants represent our ancestors’ farewell to the Sadhavas,” said Snehamayee Padhy, 45, a local participant.
Ganjam collector Dibya Jyoti Parida and Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M were among the officials present at the event. Heavy security arrangements, including three platoons of forces, were deployed at Gopalpur and Dhabaleswar to manage large crowds.