Angul: On the occasion of Kartik Purnima, or the fifteenth lunar day of Kartik month, town residents throng Naran Sagar to observe Boita Bandana Utsav or Boat Festival, remembering Odisha’s glorious past tradition.
But this year, the people are still in suspense as to whether they will be allowed to celebrate the festival or not.
Since no directive has come as yet from the government regarding the Boat Festival, the businessmen who earn a handsome earning on this occasion have also put boat making on hold.
Since festivals like Ganesh Puja, Durga Puja, Laxmi Puja, Deepavali, Kali Puja, Bali Yatra, etc. were a low key affair this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people as well as businessmen fear the same for boat festival.
“Since we are in doubt, we are yet to place orders for all raw materials required for boat making and other ingredients like areca nuts, betel leaves, earthen lamps and candles. As the days are passing by, it is also not possible for craftsmen to manufacture so many numbers of boats in a limited time,” maintained Siddheswar Nayak, a businessman.
While expressing her sorrow, Mamata Das, a town dweller says, “It is said that second wave of the pandemic has started. We are sure to celebrate the boat festival that way as we did the other festivals. I have decided to observe the festival at my home.”
When contacted, Sub-Collector, Angul, Basudev Satpathy said though no direction regarding boat festival has come from the government it is expected in a day or two. “But it is for sure that there will be restrictions as the district is yet to fully recover from the pandemic situation. So congregation will not be allowed,” added Satpathy.
PNN