Bhubaneswar: There is a prominent saying in Odia that goes along the lines “Bara Masare, Tera Paraba” which means Odisha celebrates thirteen festivals in twelve months. And, one of the most important and unique festivals celebrated on a mass scale in Odisha is the Raja Parba. It’s a festival dedicated to the nature and womanhood. Raja is celebrated to welcome Mother Nature or Goddess of Earth’s menstrual cycle. Also known as Raja Sankranti or the Mithuna Sankranti from which day the rainy season starts, it marks the beginning of monsoon in the state.
It is an agrarian festival mostly observed in the coastal districts of Odisha for three days. People of Odisha, who are mostly associated with agriculture and allied fields, celebrate the festival with full pomp and gaiety. Ladies, especially young, adolescents and children have all the fun for three days starting from Pahili Raja. All agricultural activities like ploughing, plucking, cutting trees are not allowed during these three days to allow the Nature Goddess to rest. Raja Doli or the swings constitute the main attraction of these festivities. Poda Pitha, arisa, manda and chakuli pitha constitute the must delicacies for every family. Likewise, Raja Pana adds more joy to the celebrations. New cloths, jewelry, variety of foods, fruits, sweets, plays, songs, games and partying mark these three days of celebration – Pahili Raja, Raja, and Basi Raja. From among all the festivals of Odisha, Raja has immense social, economic, religious, ethnic and cultural connotations.
This year, due to the Covid Pandemic, the mass celebrations may have been prohibited but the spirit is not dampened. While the young girls have no swings to play with friends, but they have all the grit for the future. The pandemic will go and the festivities will continue next year. Celebrating womanhood and caring the nature constitute the basis for this festival. Let the festival bring the community together with feelings of fraternity and solidarity.