Bhuban

Bullocks decoration during Vijayadashami Festival

During Vijayadashami, bullocks are decorated using beads, furs, colorful saddles, and they become a part of the procession. This is now done anywhere else in the world. On the second day of the celebration, the immersion of goddess Durga takes place. The Bullock festival of Bhuban has a special identity. Legend says, in ancient days bullocks were used for both transport and conveyance. The Thoriya community and Baladia bania community (a community of goldsmiths) of Bhuban used Bullocks for trade and business purposes. The Baladia community used to travel miles through the neighboring villages to trade gold and silver jewelry. So to offer homage to the bullocks, during Dusserah period, when the bullocks are not engaged in any work by farmers, the Thoriya and Baladia community people would take the bullocks to Gramdevi at Banijari and worship them. Then the bullocks would make a few rotations around The Gramdevi. Subsequently, this became a convention and custom for the people of Bhuban.

During the present-day, the bullocks are decorated with ornaments, beads, bells on their neck, colorful velvet saddles in their back. They are treated with utmost care and are fed well before they are taken for the worship at Gramadevi (village goddess), as is the tradition. This shows the rich cultural tradition of "Bhubanians" and their empathetic associations with animals. Then the bullocks are taken for a procession with loud music. The bullocks are not frightened by the loud music. The procession covers about 3 to 4 km and runs the whole night. The procession starts around 6 PM and goes until the next morning. The Aarisa Pitha is a sweet dish prepared at homes during this festival.

Bali Jatra

Bali Jatra, which means 'Festival of Sand', takes place before the day of Kartik Poornima around the Shiva temple (also called the Brudheswar temple) on the bank of brahmani river with much splendor. Many people gather near the temple for Bali Jatra. People bathe very early in the morning in the Brahmani river and worship Shiva Lingam made up off sand, on the bank of the river. The rituals starts from the Navami of the month and last up to the Poornima (or 'full Moon day'). Sand idols are worshiped among the elderly women of the village, known as Balunga Oshaa (rituals of the Sand God) and is performed on the same day. Lord Kartikeswara and Lord Shiva are also worshiped on the Kartik Poornima.

In Oriya history, people used to sail across the river for business and trade, after worshiping the Lord. This is popularly known as Boita Bandana which means "worship of the boat". So, on the same day, paper boats are lit with candles and are set afloat in the river as a symbol of remembrance of the past traditions of the Sadhaba Community (BTBS). People make a dish called Bada Oshaa Bhoga made up off raw rice grindings, coconut and sugar to perform the Naivedhya.

This is also known as Bada Oshaa, which means "Large Festival".

Hingula Jatra

Another most important festival celebrate in Bhuban is "Hingula Jatra" in Chatra purnima likely to fall in April in the English calendar.

Sital Sasthi" Shiba Bibaha"

The Sital Sasthi otherwise known as Shiva Parbati Bibaha Utschava is also celebrated in Bhuban at Chhata Matha, Mahadev Temple, Badahat and Brudheswar Temple.

Chhunchi Patra

Chhunchi Patra is a special sweet item, made up of coconut, rice and maida flour.

Chhunchi Patra is a sweet item made on special occasions and consists of coconut grinding, rice and maida flour. The mixture is made up off rice grinding and maida flour and is flatted on a heated tava in moderate flame. The coconut is mixed with sugar or jaggery and used as pura (sweet masala) inside the cooked cake.