The Durga Puja ambience descended in Cuttack with Mahalaya being observed on Friday. On this auspicious day, artisans painted clay idols of Goddess Durga with chalk lime called Khadi Utha in local parlance. It is believed that the Goddess on this day began her journey to earth for annihilation of buffalo-headed demon Mahisashura.
With this, the stage is now set for the beginning of the nine-day revelry of Navratra festivals from Saturday. The Navratra festival is now catching up in the State as a large number of Gujarati settlers have made it popular here.
The auspicious new moon day is also important for the day marks the end of a fortnight called Pitrupaksha and people in large numbers offered Shraddha (homage) to their forefathers as it is believed that the deceased forefathers come very close to Earth on this day and receive the offerings.
Reports reaching here said thousands gathered at the Jagannath Temple in Puri where they offered Shraddha to their forefathers on the legendary Baishi Pahacha (22 stairs up to the shrine). People also performed the ritual at Bindu Sagar in Bhubaneswar. Those who cannot offer homage to their forefathers on the appropriate days prefer this day to pay their obeisance.
Similarly, in western Odisha, devotees were seen in long queues to witness the Dhavalamukhi Vesa of Goddess Samaleswari on the day as it is believed that a darshan of the deity on the day would bring equal riches of having a holy bath in river Ganga. The temples in this region witnessed heavy footfalls of devotees since early morning.
In Cuttack, however, the Puja Mandaps witnessed a series of activities as the Khadi Utha ritual brought with it a sanctimonious atmosphere all around the Mandaps. Artisans and decorators have now started giving final shape to the idols, tableaus and the majestic welcome arches.