The Kartik Purnima celebrations and boat sailing ceremony were hosted in the premises of the Jagannath Temple at Hauz Khas in New Delhi with much religious fervour.
Organised by the Shri Neelachal Seva Sangha, the festival was attended by hundreds of Odias and non-Odias of Delhi and National Capital Region along with their family, friends and relatives.
Since this year’s Kartik Purnima was being celebrated without Covid restrictions, unusual interest and unprecedented enthusiasm were witnessed among the participants. The celebration venue at the fountain, located at the side of the temple and the entire compound was colourfully decorated to mark the spectacular festive spirit. In the morning religious rituals were performed in front of the deities in the main temple. Then the priests performed the puja in front of the decked up boat docked in the pond. Women did the traditional Aarti of the boat. With the chanting of the famous lines, “Aaa Kaa Maa Bai” the invited guests under the stewardship of temple’s secretary Ravindranath Pradhan initiated the auspicious sailing of the boat. The devotees were offered delicious Habisha Prasad.