Odias are famous for their maritime trade with the overseas countries like Java, Sumatra, Bali, Bornio and Malaya etc. Abundance of natural resource coupled with production of handicraft items, availability of spices and the presence of a vast coastline of around 482 km. long aided the Odias to acquire the nautical skills and enterprises for which they were famous in ancient India. To remember such a glorious history of Odisha, Boita Bandana Utsava is celebrated every year in the early morning of Kartika Purnima.
Odisha, earlier known as Kalinga and Utkal was famous for its maritime trade. The business men (Sadhbas) of Odisha sailed their ships (called as Boitas ) in the Indian Ocean and travelled to the Southeast Asian countries like Java, Borneo, Sumatra, Simhala, Burma, Bali, Malaya etc. and brought back with plenty of wealth which prospered their mother land. So as to remember such a glorious history of Odisha, Boita Bandana Utsava is celebrated every year in the early morning of Kartika Purnima, the full moon day of early autumn. The 5th Boita Bandana festival by KAPOCH was observed on 14th November 2016 in the bank of River Daya near Dhauli hill of Bhubaneswar.
In this occasion, a decorative stage was constructed on the basin of river Daya where the idol of lord Jagannath was kept for prayer. In the early morning, a series of cultural programs were organized such as Chau Nrutya (Martial form dance), Bhajans (devotional songs) and other entertainment programs. At the end, the popular Odia comedian Sri Hari Prasad Das entertained the audience. Then the Sarbajanina Boita Bandan was carried out in the river Daya in presence of thousands of people. Amongst the distinguished guests, Sri Husen Rabi Gandhi (noted Odia writer), Bhabani Patnaik (freedom fighter), Ms. Meera Parida (Social Activist), Sj. Madhusudan Dash (State Coordinator, NYP) and Sj. Pradyumna Satpathy (Social activist and editor, Subarta) attended the program.
In the very next day, cleaning of river Daya was performed from Lingipur to Itipur villages by more than 100 volunteers of KAPCOH . The volunteers cleared the polluting objects from the river Daya so as to keep the basin clean.