The annual fest of Kalua Yatra at Gosinnuagam here began on Wednesday. On the auspicious day of Mahalaya the villagers welcomed the deity Maa Kalua with grand fervour to the Mandap like a father welcomes his married daughter to his house.
Thousands of people with grand and colourful procession marched to the temple to welcome the goddess and begin the famous festival. The 15-day-long festival will come to an end on Kumar Purnima, October 27.
The Kalua Yatra is grand festival of the Silk City and has been maintaining its speciality forom a cultural point of view. All the 15 nights are to be celebrated with various cultural activities including melody, drama, play and folklores, said Panchanan Choudhury, chief architect of the fest and president of the Kalua Puja Committee.
The festival is specially meant for betterment of people and to promote brotherhood with preservation of cultural values in the society in this modern era. Significantly, the entire expenses, estimated to be more than Rs 10 lakh, for the fest are contributed by the villagers to perform various activities, said secretary of the Puja Committee Santosh Kumar Sahu. Jahni Osha is another celebration, which is of unmarried girls, traditionally observed for their wellbeing and for a happy married life.