Raja Parba

Raja Parba is one of the most celebrated festival of Odisha. The three day long is also called as Mithuna Sankranti. Raja is generally associated with the farmers and is celebrated during the onset of monsoons on the fist day of Asadha masa(June/July Month). This is an agricultural festival of Odisha thus it is celebrated to welcome the first rain on the Earth. Raja Parba comes as symbol of happiness of the first rain drenched farming land, moistening of the sun dried soil with the first showers making it ready for productivity.

History

Under mythological terms, it is believed that the Mother Goddess Earth goes through three days of menstruation during the first three days of this festival, and by the fourth day is given a ceremonial bath. The first day is called Pahili Raja, second day is Mithuna Sankranti, third day is Bhu daaha or Basi Raja. The term Raja pronounced as Raw-Jaw comes from Rajaswala which means menstruating woman. During the period all the agricultural works are stopped making it resting period for both earth and farmer

The festival is mostly celebrated by girls, women and children. Girls are forbidden from all kinds of manual work during these three days of the festival. They don’t carry water, cut vegetables, and sweep the houses. Neither do they sew clothes, grind grains, comb hair or walk in bare foot. The very first day, they rise before dawn, do their hair, anoint their bodies with turmeric paste and oil and then take the purificatory bath in a river or pond. During the festival, they wear new outfits, eat delicious good and spend long hurs on homemade swings(Ram Doli, Chakri Doli, Pata Doli and Dandi Doli), singing. This provides for a happy and joyful atmosphere throughout the town or village.

In many villages night jatra(yatra) and Gotipua dance are performed by artists. This is the most happening festival all over the Odisha.