Bhubaneswar, Nov. 6 -- The holy month of Kartika, marked by fasting, devotion, and strict vegetarianism, has come to a close. With its conclusion, Odisha gears up for Chhadakhai, the day when people resume eating non-vegetarian food after a month of abstinence.

It is a day when the meat market, after bearing a deserted look during the period of Panchuka (the final five days of Kartika Masa that is observed with strict absenteeism), finally springs into life with a flourish, with every kind of meat and fish on display.

However, this year, Chhadakhai has coincided with a Thursday, a day many consider inauspicious for consuming meat and fish.

Because of this coincidence, the enthusiasm among non-vegetarian food lovers appears subdued, lea...