Puri: After a Covid hiatus, the lighting of Kaunriya Kathis during Diwali resumed in Puri. Devotees burned jute stems in front of Singhadwar of Jagannath Temple.
On the festival of Diwali, people in Odisha observe observe ‘Bada Badia Daka’ a ceremony in which they honour their ancestors. In the ceremony, they burn jute stems, also known as Kaunriya Kathis, to produce fire as a signal to call the ancestors.
The lighting of Kaunriya Kathis had been prohibited as the smoke emanating from the burning of the jute sticks was suspected to worsen the pandemic situation.
