The month-long Habisha and five-day Panchuka ended on Tuesday with Boita Bandana Utsav on the occasion of the holy Kartik Purnima across the State.
People of different age groups floated miniature boats on the auspicious occasion at rivers, ponds and sea to mark the rich maritime legacy of ancient Kalinga.
The temples across the State witnessed thousands of devotees in serpentine queues for darshan of the deities following Boita Bandana at major rivers including Mahanadi, lakes and ponds including Bindusagar here in wee hours.
The boats made of paper, banana stem and decorated with Diya (earthen lamp), betel leaf, betel nut and flowers were sailed in numbers by devotees reciting a phrase ”Aa Ka Ma Boi, Pana Gua Thoi, Pana Gua Tora, Masaka Dharama Mora” on the occasion.
Thousands of devotees were seen thronging the Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar after floating miniature boats in Bindusagar. Similar scenes were witnessed in pilgrim city Puri where the devotees observing Habisha and Panchuka stood in long queues in front of Singhadwar of the Shreemandir to have darshan of Lord Jagannath in Suna Besha.
Besides, the historic Baliyatra commenced on the day on the banks of river Mahanadi in Cuttack to remember the maritime glory of the State.