Mayurbhanj: With harvest festival Makar Sankranti just a day away, the tribals of Mayurbhanj are all geared up for their own version of the festival ‘Tusu’. City markets are crowded with people making last minute purchases for the festival while artisans are busy giving final touches to Tusu idols.
Gaman Chandra Behera, an artisan said, "Tusu idol preparation is still going on. The rates of Tusu idols vary as per their sizes. The range starts from Rs 1,000 and goes up to Rs 20,000."
Known to be one of the major festivals in Mayurbhanj, the markets are also flooded with traditional clothes, chief among them being the ‘Chapa’ Sarees.
Not only clothes, people are busy buying utensils, house decoration items, bamboo products, and clay handicrafts among others.
‘We celebrate Tusu with great pomp and show. On this occasion we wear new clothes and perform our ethnic dance,’ Budhuni Singh, a local, said.
One of the traditions which make the Tusu festival iconic in Mayurbhanj is cock fights.