Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government today announced a ban on ‘Bol Bom Yatra’ by devotees of Lord Shiva in view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic situation in the State.
An order in this regard has been issued by the Office of Special Relief Commissioner.
In the Odia month of Shravan, people carry water from some religious places, walk barefoot for several miles and put water in some Shiva Temples on each Monday of this month and these people generally referred to as, ‘Bol Bom devotees’ or ‘Kaudia’. The devotees start their journey on Saturday/ Sunday/ Monday by collecting water from one religious place and walk till Monday morning and pour the collected water on a Shiva Linga in some other Temples on Monday.
The State Government had banned the Bol Bom Yatra last year.