During the auspicious Kartika month, the people of Odisha observe a specific cultural tradition known as the Boita Bandana Tradition. This festival has both religious and historical significance. The Boita Bandana 2024 Date is November 15, 2024.
The worshipers follow a month-long Vrat ritual known as ‘Habisha’ in the Kartika month. During this lunar month, they only have food once in the afternoon. This month ends with ‘Boita Bandana Utsav’ or Boita Bandana Tradition. This is an ancient and popular festival that is particularly observed in the early morning of Kartika Purnima. The festival also celebrates the day when the Sadhabas, who are the ancient Odia mariner merchants, sail to distant lands.
Boita Bandana – Remembering the Sadhabas
Boita Bandana, which is the Miniature Boat Floating Tradition in Odisha, signifies the collective memories of the Sadhaba’s past. The festival honours the legacies of the Kalinga Sadhabas. They were the maritime merchants and seafarers. For centuries, they maintained a successful maritime trading relationship with various regions across the Indian Ocean.
Odias observe this heritage-based festival uniquely by remembering and honouring the unconquerable spirit of the Kalinga Sadhabas. The Odia people pay their immense tribute to their ancestors’ remarkable trading achievements. The Sadhabas successfully built Kalinga’s ‘soft power’ in distant regions across the Indian Ocean.
The festive day Kartika Purnima holds special significance in the legacy of the Kalinga Sādhabas. During this time, the Sādhabas plan their sail for distant islands and lands. They took advantage of the favourable monsoon winds. The winds blowing over the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean made the perfect moment for their voyages.
These winds allowed the Sādhabas’ ships to sail smoothly toward regions such as the Indonesian islands, Sri Lanka, and various other regions of Southeast Asia. Their journeys during this period were both a testament to their maritime skill and their strategic use of natural forces.
Different Names of Boita Bandana
Boita Bandana is a significant religious ritual of the ‘Danga Bhasa’, otherwise known as the ‘floating-a-boat’ ceremony. The term refers to the auspicious rituals performed to bless a boat or ship at the start of its voyage. This ritual is also famously celebrated as ‘Bali Jatra,’ signifying the journey to the island of Bali in Indonesia.
Even many Odia expats living around the world, far from their homeland, celebrate the legacies of their illustrious ancestors. They honour these traditions through this unique festival, connecting with their roots despite the distance.
How Does Odias Celebrate Boita Bandana?
Boita Bandana is celebrated as the Boat Festival in Odisha. Everyone, including children, celebrates the festival by floating their miniature boats. This Odia tradition has been followed for several years. On the sacred day of Kartik Purnima, in the early morning, Odias visit the water bodies to float their boats. These boats are traditionally made up of banana stems and leaves. It is also made of paper material.
Boita Bandana and Jagannath Culture
For centuries, the State of Odisha has been the home of indigenous faiths such as Vaishnava, Shaiva, Bouddha, Shākta, Sābara, and Jaina. The spiritual culture of the region is known as Jagannātha-Sanskruti, which blends all these diverse traditions. This rich amalgamation reflects the unique religious heritage of Odisha.
Most Odias, especially the elderly and women, follow traditions during the Kārtika month that centre around rituals and customs. These practices are closely aligned with the Jagannāth culture.
At Sri Mandira (Jagannath Puri), the deities wear a variety of attires, or ‘besa’, throughout the year. During the holy month of Kartika, they receive special ‘besa’ outfits. In years when the Kartika month includes six days of ‘Panchaka’ instead of the usual five, the deities wear the rare and unique ‘Nagarjuna Besa’. In this special attire, the deities are dressed like ‘Nagarjuna’, a revered figure. This unique ‘besa’ is a significant part of the Kartika Purnima celebrations in Puri. And, Boita Bandana is every year meant to be celebrated in the early morning of Kartik Purnima.
Boita Bandana is observed to have both cultural significance and social dimension in the State of Odisha. During this period, a popular maritime trade fair, Bali Jatra in Cuttack, was observed. Many other events and processions are organised to remember the Sadhabas and their achievements. The festival makes us remember Odisha’s maritime trading and other activities that symbolise pride and unity.
