Bhubaneswar/Keonjhar: Revelry and camaraderie filled the air as people across the state took ritualistic dips in rivers and visited temples on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.
A large number of devotees thronged the seaside pilgrim town of Puri, 60 km from here, to witness the special rituals performed on this occasion at the Sri Jagannath temple.
In the state capital of Bhubaneswar, people offered prayers at Lord Lingaraj temple. Many were seen taking a dip in Bindu Sagar Lake.
The Sun Temple at Konark also attracted numerous worshippers on the occasion. The festival marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring as the Sun moves northwards towards the Tropic of Cancer.
Elsewhere too, devotees were seen making long queues in front of temples since early morning.
Besides exchanging greetings, people organised feasts in various parts of the state with sweet dishes prepared from newly harvested rice, sugar, banana, coconut, ghee and black pepper.
In the millennium city of Cuttack, the sky was dotted with colourful kites. Enthusiasts were seen flocking to terraces of their homes to indulge in spirited kite-flying competitions, a tradition synonymous with the festival.
A report from Keonjhar said thousands of people thronged various river ghats and other water bodies on the occasion. After holy dips, people made offerings of ‘Makar Chaula’ to their deities.
Thousands of people were seen visiting temples while lakhs of devotees worshiped at the famous Tarini temple in Ghatagaon.
Besides, Kesharikund and Bhimakunda on the borders of Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts drew visitors in hordes. Devotees took holy dips at Kesharikunda, Devakunda, Bhimakunda, Jhadeswar, Rajnagar, Turumunga, Rupakunda ghats.
Melas (fairs) were organised at religious places in Barahatipur, Dhanabeni, Bhalughar, Tarangabanatala, Ramtirtha, Khalikunda, Asurakhola, Raktatirtha, Kusaleswar, Deogaon and Rasabantala.
Telugu community celebrates Pongal
Berhampur: The Telugu community here celebrated Pongal festival with pomp and gaiety.
Colourful rangoli, traditional bonfire and cultural shows marked the three-day festival that began Saturday in the city, located close to Andhra Pradesh.
Pongal is known as the harvest festival by the Telugu community. The first day of the festival was celebrated as Bhogi.
Bhogi also marked the closing ceremony of ‘Gobbi’, a month-long ritual celebrated by women.
The second day of the festival Sunday is Makara Sankranti. In Berhampur, several people will also celebrate Makara Sankranti Monday.
“Pongal is the biggest annual festival of the Telugu people who celebrate it across the country with enthusiasm and gaiety in association with others,” said T Gopi, a resident of Desibehera Street here.
Several Telugu people, including women and children assembled near a temple at Diamond Tank Road Saturday afternoon to celebrate the festival. Cultural functions and bonfire were the main attractions.
“We perform Dandia as we believe that Lord Krishna and Radha liked this dance very much,” said a dancer.
People in different localities lit the traditional bonfire to mark Bhogi. The festival, however, was affected in several localities this time due to the shortage of firewood.
Telugu girls decorated their houses with colourful rangolis, while many of them staged the cultural shows.
Clad in new attire, people of all age groups greeted each other in the town. They distributed the ‘pongali’ – the food prepared by the newly harvested rice, dal, jaggery, dry fruits, sugar and milk.
While celebrating the harvest, people thank the Sun God.
“Pongal is an auspicious day for us. We invoked the forefathers of the family and offered food to them,” said Shankar Rao, a businessman.
On the last day, Kanuma is celebrated. But in Berhampur, this festival is celebrated by the Telugu people in a low key. Kanuma basically is a festival of farmers when the cattle and the cattle-sheds are cleaned. PNN