Orissa
celebrates many festivals with great fervour and joy. Here are some
of them mentioned below:
MAKARMELA (January)
Makar Sankranti is celebrated with
fun in mid-January when the Sun enters the orbit of capricon. Sun God
is worshipped with great fervour and enthusiasm by one and all. The
festival can be best enjoyed at Kalijai (an island in Chilika), Atri,
Ghatgaon, Keonjhar, Jashipur and Jagatsinghpur.
MEGHA MELA ( January – February)
It is the most popular and colourful
festival of Konark.An occasion for a grand congregating of Indian pilgrims
and enthusiasts from abroad, falls on the 7th day of the bright half
of ‘Magha’. The Indian pilgrims talk only dips in the Chandrabhaga Tirtha
near the sea and wecome the rising Sun with prayers. Also a grand fair
is held at Khandagiri near Bhubaneswar on the same day which continues
for about a week.
MAHA SHIVARATRI (February-March)
The festival "Shiva’s Great Night"
falls on the 14th day of the dark half of Phalgun and is observed by
devotees all over the country. Devotees keep fast and perform puja throughout
the night and keep a vigil to witness the sacred lamp on the temple
top. The festival can be best enjoyed at mahendragiri, Gupteswar, Kapilas,
Puri, Bhubaneswar and Khiching.
TARATARINI MELA (March-April)
The ‘Taratarini Mela’ one of Orissa’s
biggest fairs, talks place on each Tuesdays of the month of ‘Chaitra’
i.e. from around mid-March to mid-April at Taratarini Pitha –30 km from
Berhampur. A grand congregation takes place on the 3rd Tuesday.
ASHOKASTAMI (April)
The Car Festival of Lord Lingaraj
at Bhubaneswar, Ashokastami is held in the bright half of ‘Chaitra’.
The protégé of Lord Lingaraj is taken in a chariot from the main temple
to Rameswar Temple and return after a four-day stay.
CHAITRA PARBA (April)
The ‘Chaitra Parba’ or ‘Chhau Festival’
commences from 10th/11th April every year and continues for three days
concluding on ‘Mahavishuva Sankranti Day’ at Baripada. This is a festival
of festivals which is enjoyed by the people of the country and the enthusiasts
from abroad.
SITALASASTHI (May-June)
The celebration of marriage ceremony
of Lord Shiva with Parvati starts with the untying of the wedding knot
of the divine couple. Devotees act as their parents to perform the marriage.
The bridegroom’s procession popularly known as ‘Barat’ starts from the
5th night of the bright half of Jyestha and the marriage is performed
in the traditional manner. The festival is celebrated at Sambalpur and
Bhubaneswar in gorgeous ways.
RATHA YATRA ( June-July)
Ratha Yatra, ‘Known as Car Festival’
is the grandest of all festivals in Orissa. It is the sacred journey
of Lord Jagannath with brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra from the
main Jagannath Temple to another shrine called ‘Gundicha Mandir’ for
nine days. It begins from the 2nd day of the bright half of "Asadha"
which falls in June-July every year. Thousands and thousands of devotees
from all over India and abroad throng on that day at Puri to Pull the
sacred Chariots.
DURGA PUJA (September-October)
Durga Puja symbolises the commemoration of
good over evil. Life comes to a stand-still in the city of Cuttack as
crowds pour over the Puja Mandaps to enjoy the festivities. On the day
succeeding ‘Vijaya Dasami’, the last day of Dussera, the images are
taken in a spectacular procession for immersion in the river Kathajodi.
LAKSHMI PUJA (September-October)
Observed
with much pomp and ceremony in Dhenkanal town, it commences from the
fullmoon day of Aswin and continues for a period f one week.
BEACH FESTIVAL (November)
Puri,
the abode of Lord Jagannath, is a wonderful beach resort for leisure
tourists. It is known for its thirteen major festivals of Lord Jagannath
celebrated every year. But the new Tourist festival known as ‘Puri Beach
Festival’ held from 5th-9th November each year has come to limelight
in recent times.
BALIYATRA (November-December)
Java and Sumatra by Orissan Trader, a
big fair called ‘Bali Yatra’ is held on Mahanadi river bank at Cuttack
on the fullmoon day of Kartik to commemorate the glorious past of commercial
voyages to the islands of Bali.
KONARK FESTIVAL (December)
A festival of classical dance forms performed
by the celebrated danseurs of the country on the Open Air Auditorium
set amidst the casuarina grove against the back drop of Sun Temple,
a World Heritage Monument. During the festival evenings the atmosphere
is surcharged with rhythmic dancing beats and melodious tunes.
DHANU YATRA ( December-January)
Dhanu
Yatra relates to the episode of Lord Krishna’s visit to Mathura to witness
the ceremony of "Bow". It is colourfully observed at Bargarh. The town
of Bargarh becomes Mathura, the river Jira becomes Yamuna and the village
Amapalli on the other bank of the river becomes Gopa. Different acts
of the Puranic descriptions are performed at their right places and
the spectators move from place to place with the actions to see the
performance.
Festivals
