SAMBALPUR: Women across Western Odisha observed ‘Pua Juintia’ with religious fervour praying for long lives and well being of their sons and daughters on Sunday.
The festival, also known as ‘Dutibahana Osha,’ holds special significance for the women of the region and marks the umbilical relationship between mother and children. Mothers fast for the entire day without even taking a drop of water.
The festival is observed on Ashwina Krushnapakhya Astami (eighth day of dark fortnight of Odia month Ashwina). On the day, a group of mothers gather at an open space in their respective localities and perform the puja in the evening.
During the festival, Lord Dutibahana is worshipped at the open space, which is decorated with mango leaves and flowers.
Mothers worship Lord Dutibahana with 108 duba (strands of green grass) and 108 unbroken arua rice (non-boiled rice) wrapped in fresh sal leaf besides the juintia (thread), jugar (made of puffed paddy and jaggery) and tikhri (made of moong and sugar) as prasad.
On the wee hours of next day, mothers take a holy dip in nearby river or tank and perform ritual before they break their fast.