Gaja Lakshmi Puja is the longest festival celebrated in the
Dhenkanal District of
Orissa. It starts from Kumar Purnima and continues for eleven days.
The tradition of this Puja was initiated in 1923 at Kunjasahu Chowk, now known as Ganesh Bazaar.
Most noteworthy feature of the festival is that, starting from college road to Korian Chhack, about 7 km), the visitors have darshan of all the Puja pandals situated on the road sides. The entire town is decorated with Puja mandaps and electrical illumination. The Polishree Mela organized by the district administration and cultural programs add charm to the festival.
