As I watched another scooter pass us, with what seemed to be a swan on wheels, my curiosity piqued as to what the occasion was. Everyone seemed to be rushing as if preparing for a grand event. I called one of my Odiya friends to ask her what festival had made the roads of Bhubaneswar come alive with makeshift shops selling lamps, flowers, and boats made of banana stems.
My sudden question seemed to briefly catch her off guard. Then she asked if I knew who the Sadhabas were. I replied that I do but want do know more. She asked me to come over, saying this would be a perfect excuse to meet and catch up over a good story.At her house, she continued to tell me that Odisha has a rich maritime history, and sailors known as Sadhabas braved the sea as early as the 3rd century BC for trade. This ancient sea crossing is celebrated annually in the form of Boita Bandhana.
Every year on Kartik Purnima, the full moon day of the Kartik month (October–November), small boats made from banana stems are floated in rivers and ponds in remembrance of those ancestral journeys. These boats are decorated with lamps, betel leaves, betel nuts, flowers, and coins, each a symbol imbued in meaning.
The betel leaf and betel nut hold special significance. They are seen as emblematic of the union between man and woman: the leaf represents the woman, and the nut, the man. This union symbolizes fertility, prosperity, and auspiciousness. As ancient sailors offered them to the sea, they sought blessings for harmony and protection during their voyages.
As the boats drift under the faint early morning light, people chant the timeless verse:
“aa kaa ma boi/bhoi, paana gua thoi paana gua tora, masaka dharama mora.”
This lyrical incantation, deeply rooted in tradition, is often interpreted as a prayer for courage and fearlessness—“do not fear the sky (aa), water (kaa), or wind (ma), boat (boi).”
Another meaningful interpretation sees each syllable as the first letters of four sacred months—Asadha, Kartik, Magha, and Baisakh—each connected to important religious observances in the Hindu calendar.
Boita Bandhana is much more then a folk ritual that is celebrated in classical Odia literature. Sarala Das’s 15th-century Mahabharata records the aakaamaboi bath—a ceremonial cleansing performed on Kartik Purnima, showing the festival’s deep historical roots. Folk tales and classical poems describe families gathering with lamps and rituals to honor the sea and the safe return of sailors. In Lavanyavati by Upendra Bhanja, young women eagerly perform boat worship on distant shores, celebrating their kin’s connection to the sea.
This ritual marks the beginning of the famous Bali Yatra festival—the “Voyage to Bali”, held annually in Odisha’s city of Cuttack. Thousands throng to the riverbank of the Mahanadi, launching miniature boats at dawn and immersing themselves in a week-long celebration of trade, art, and culture. It honors the bravery of Odia sailors who once set sail to foreign lands, fostering a sense of shared heritage and pride.
Interestingly, the spirit of Boita Bandhana and its reverence for water are mirrored across Southeast Asia. The Balinese Masakapam Kepesih festival celebrates the floating of tiny vessels with lamps and offerings as children’s rites of passage, symbolizing spiritual cleansing and connection to ancestors. Thailand’s Loy Krathong sees people setting afloat delicate lotus-shaped floats with candles and incense to honor the river goddess and release misfortunes.
These festivals knit together a shared maritime culture rooted in reverence for water, life, and ancestral blessings. From Odisha’s serene rivers to the vibrant shores of Indonesia and Thailand, the floating boats carry the stories of generations of voyages across turbulent seas, of cultural exchange, and of the eternal hope for safe journeys.
Every year, when the lamps of Boita Bandhana glow softly on Odisha’s waters, illuminating the small boats that is enduring the legacy of a civilization that connected lands and souls across the ocean. It is a celebration of life, courage, unity, and the timeless human spirit that sails onward, ever hopeful, across the waters beyond the horizon.
These nautical connections went beyond trade, creating lasting cultural and spiritual relationships that have endured for more than a thousand years.Ancient texts hailed Indonesia’s islands—Java, Sumatra, Bali, and Borneo—as Suvarnabhumi or Suvarnadvipa, the “land” or “island of gold.” Odishan sailors ventured there, trading textiles, ivory, jewels, and spices while sharing invaluable traditions, knowledge, and culture.
The Ramayana depicts Javadvipa as a realm of seven kingdoms and gold mines, while Kalidasa’s Raghuvamsha celebrates Kalinga’s King Hemangada as “Lord of Mount Mahendra and the ocean,” embodying Odisha’s naval dominance. Sea breezes wafted the scent of clove flowers, a prized cargo of these bold merchants.
Odisha’s position made it a pivotal hub between Central Asia and Southeast Asia. Sailors rode the northeast monsoon outbound and southwest winds homeward, returning with treasures and tales. Their voyages spread Indian culture, religion, and art, fostering lasting links. Legends tell of a Kalinga prince sending 20,000 families to Java, where they thrived and integrated into local life. Chinese annals reference “Ho-ling” as ancient Kalinga, underscoring Odia influence. Balinese customs still revere Brahmins as “Brahmana Baudha Kalinga,” bridging Odisha’s heritage to modern Indonesia.
These ties shine in vivid parallels: both regions honor the Rajaswala ceremony for girls’ puberty rites. Shared words like muha (face), bahu (arm), dalimba (pomegranate), and dana (donation) reveal centuries of linguistic and cultural exchange.
As I head back home carrying my own makeshift boat made of banana stem, I make up my mind to celebrate Boita at Bindusagar next year. Will you be joining me?
No Comments