A widow chanting mantras from a book while observing Anla Nabami at Dharmasal of Old Town in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.
The whole month of ‘Kartika’, 8th month according to Hindu calendar, considered to be the most sacred for the devouted Hindus. All of them take pre-dawn bath and visit temples. The last five days are considered more sacred, called ‘Panchuka’, the last day being the “Kartika Purnima“. Every day they take food only once in the afternoon which is known as ‘Habisha’. Lakhs of devotees thronged pilgrimages to observe the month-long Kartika ‘brata’. The devotees, mostly old couples and widows, stay put in the town the entire month and spend most of their time chanting ‘Kartik Mahatmya’, a religious text. The devotees take one vegetarian meal a day (most of them depend on mahaprasad) and worship the holy Tulsi plant, which have a religious importance in Hindu religion.... See more
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