Kartika Purnami

Kartika Purnami

Kartika Purnami, the full moon day of the Hindu month of the Kartika.This is one of the  popular festival in Odisha. We are celebrating this in the month of October-November.In this festival the people worship Lord Shiva. Most of the shiva temple get crowded with Devotees.The whole month of ‘Kartika’ is considered to be the most sacred among all the twelve months of the year. During this month all the Hindus devotees refrain from eating fish, meat or egg.

In this Month,the last 5 days are called "Panchuka".The festivities of Kartika purnami begin on the day of Prabodhini Ekadashi. Ekadashi is the eleventh day and purnami  is the fifteenth day of Kartika month during Shukla Paksha. Hence Kartik purnami  festivities last for five days.

In these Five days,women after taking bath in the early morning draw beautiful flower-designs around the ‘chaura(Tulasi Plant)’ with colorful powder.

They take food only once in a Afternoon which is known as "Habisha".

Recipe of Habisha Dalma:

The last day being the "Kartika Purnima" it is also known as Maha Purnima when both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu are worshipped together.Group singing of ‘kirtans’ and loud beating of ‘Mrudanga’ and cymbals continue for the whole day.

The kartika purnima concludes with Boita Bandana (Famous Boat fastival) which takes place in morning. It reminds the maritime glory of the State. In old days the'Sadhabas' (Sea Traders) used to sail off to distant Islands like Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Ceylon etc. for trade by huge boats (Boita).The women from the community give them a hearty see off by saying 'Aa ka Ma Boi' which symbolizes three Oriya months i.e. Aswina, Kartika and Margashira. The days are now gone, but the memory is still alive. 

Now, people float tiny toy boats made out of cork and coloured paper or bark of the banyan tree remembering the past glory. They float the boats with diya,betel leaves, crackers fruits and coins by saying "AA KA MA BOI...PAANA GUA THOI..PANA GUA TORA..MASAKA DHARAMA MORA".