Olasuni Cave festival begins in Jajpur

Jajpur: The famous Olasuni Cave festival of Jajpur kick- started today. The fair is observed every year on the occasion of Saint Arakhita Das’ Mahasamadhi day.

Thousands of devotees from faraway places throng the cave to participate in the festival and seek blessings of saint Arakhita Das. The devotees offer ‘Podapitha’ (a smoked pancake) as ‘bhoga’ (offering) at the shrine for fulfilment of their wishes.

Champabati, a devotee, said ‘I am a strong believer of Saint Arakhita Das and have been visiting the festival for the last six years. Till now all my wishes have been fulfilled.’

As per rituals, on the tenth day of the cave festival, the ‘Agyanmala’ is brought from Mahasamdhi temple of Saint Arakhita Das and then the devotees circumambulate around the shrine.