BERHAMPUR: Silk City's Khaspa Street dazzled with an air of euphoria when thousands participated in Kandhei Jatra, an age-old annual doll fair, braving drizzles and muddy roads. The 24-hour-long celebration came to an end on Thursday.
The festival is observed every year on full moon night of the Hindu month of Shravan, also celebrated as Guru Purnima. Believed to be an extension of Rath Yatra celebrations, Kandhei Jatra is ritualistically attached to the old Jagannath temple of Khaspa Street.
On the night of the festival, the pedestal of Lord Jagannath is decorated with earthen toys depicting various mythical characters. The main attractions of the fair are the traditional toys made of clay, cow dung, paper mache, coir and wood, that are widely sold in an attempt to promote the traditional craftsmen of the area.
“Our selling point is almost nil but we continued to display our traditional dolls,” said Birupakhya Sahu, a traditional doll artist. Other attraction of the fair included sweets being moulded into different animal shapes. Although the festival is celebrated with pomp and show, the organisers believe that it is slowly losing its identity which calls for promotion of these ancient festivals that are part of the local culture and heritage.