A major traffic jam was witnessed on Digha AIIMS Road in Patna on Wednesday morning as large crowds of devotees gathered at the Ganga Ghat to celebrate Kartik Purnima. Thousands of worshippers visited the riverbank to take a holy dip and offer prayers, marking the sacred day with age-old rituals.

The occasion, celebrated on the full moon day of the Kartik month, holds great significance in Hinduism. It commemorates the birth of Lord Kartikeya, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Across the country, devotees observe the festival with devotion—lighting lamps, adorning temples, and organizing religious fairs.

In Odisha, the celebrations took on a special form with the Boit Bandana (Boat Festival) at Puri’s historic Narendra Pokhari. Devotees assembled to float miniature boats made of banana stems, paper, and thermocol—symbolizing Odisha’s ancient maritime trade with Southeast Asian regions such as Java, Sumatra, and Bali.

Priya, a devotee from Puri, explained the spiritual importance of the day: “Today is Kartik Purnima, a highly auspicious occasion. Morning prayers here at Narendra Pokhari are believed to fulfill wishes.” Ankit Kumar from Bihar, attending the festival for the first time, shared his amazement at the rituals. “This is my first experience. We don’t have such traditions in Bihar. Watching people make and float these small boats is beautiful—I’m here with my family, and we’re really enjoying it,” he said.

The Boit Bandana festival, celebrated with great enthusiasm across Odisha, not only represents religious devotion but also pays homage to the state’s proud maritime history and the legacy of its ancient seafaring traders known as ‘Sadhabas’. The sight of glowing miniature boats drifting on the water, accompanied by chants and prayers, turns the event into a breathtaking spectacle.