Every part of our beloved India will wish you high spirits of festivity. The vibrant culture, rich customs, feeling of celebration, a plate full of an exquisite meal. After all, this is what India- the festival of land is known for. Being a land of various religions and tribes, you will find numerous festivals celebrated by the people throughout the year. One such part of India where festivals run the happy lives of people in Orrisa.
Here is the list of most famous festivals of Orissa that this coastal state is famous for:
1. Durga Pooja
Durga Pooja is the most important festival of Orissa, which is magnificently celebrated all over the state of Orrisa. It is celebrated in Ashwin or Kartik (September or October as per the English calendar). The streets and lighted up, and Pandals are decorated to set the spirit of festivity among the people. The huge idols of Durga Maa and two other avatars of Maa Laxmi and Maa Saraswati are immaculate in the Pandals. The chants of Mantras and morning and evening Artis can be heard to mark the grand celebration of this festival. Durga Pooja is celebrated for three-four days in Orissa and holds an important significance for the Hindu devotees.
Time of celebration- In September or October.
2. Kalinga Mahotsav
The festival has an interesting story connected with its celebration. A major part of Orrisa was earlier known as Kalinga, the land which is seen brutal murders and death of martyrs during the reign of Ashoka. It is at this place that Ashoka decided to live a peaceful and non-violent life. Kalinga Mahotsav is celebrated to mark the victory of peace over war. To pay tribute to the martyrs of the Mauryan dynasty, various Martial art acts are performed on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar at Dhauli Shanti Stupa. The vibrant and brave performances of martial arts attract the people of Orissa and from all over the world.
Time of celebration- 10 and 11 of January.
3. Chandan Yatra
the longest festival of Orissa, which is celebrated at Jagannath temple at Puri. The 42-day long festival is celebrated by worshiping the deities with sandal mixed water. The deities are taken out of the temple for a holy patron in water in the traditional boats called ‘ Chapa.’ The boats are generally beautifully decorated in red and white to give the resemblance of a swan floating in the water. The conclusion of the pompous festival is marked at the Vishnu or Shiva temples in Puri. Thousand of pilgrimages gather to take part in the celebration of this great festival of Orrisa.
Time of Celebration -April and May
4. Konark Dance Festival
Konark Dance Festival is organized by Odissi dancer Gangadhar Pradhan’s Odisha Dance Academy at Konark Natya Mandap in Konark. Dedicated purely to the beauty of Konark Sun Temple and the elegance of Odissi dance, this festival is beyond religions and customs. The festival is celebrated to pay tribute to the ancient beauty of the Konark Temple. As the sun sets down, the temple wears a vibrant look with lights adding to its beauty. Famous classical dancers get together to be a part of this extravagant celebration which is fondly enjoyed by people from around the globe.
Time of Celebration – December 1 to December 5.
5. Mahabisuva Sankranti
Mahabisuva Sankranti is celebrated to mark the new year as per the Odia Calendar in April. The festival is also known as Pana Sankranti. Pana- a drink made from Misri and water is hung over the Tulsi plant to represent the rain. This festival is very auspicious for farming and agricultural activities in Orrisa. On this day, special offerings are made to Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, and Hanuman. Devotees pay a visit to the Devi temples and pray for their great year ahead.
Time of celebration- 14 or 15 April. 6.
6. Raja Parba
Aja Parba is a four-day-long festival that is fondly celebrated all over the state of Orrisa. This festival is celebrated to bring prosperity to agriculture fields and also to celebrate womanhood. The festival is dedicated to Basu- Mata, the Earth Goddess, and during this festival, all the agriculture activities are stopped to allow the Goddess to rest. It is believed that during this period the Goddess undergoes her menstrual cycle, and to respect the womanhood of the Mother Earth, all the activities such as ploughing, plucking, cutting trees, that can hurt nature are prevented.
Time of celebration- June or July
7. Rath Yatra
Also known as Car Festival is dedicated to Lord Jagannath, who is believed to be an avatar of Lord Vishnu and Lord Krishna. The Rath or Chariot Yatra on this festival represents the journey of Lord Krishna from Gokul to Mathura. The huge deities of Krishna, Balaram, and Subhadra are taken for a religious yatra on the chariots to the summer temple for a week. The main chariot is 14 meters high and 10 meters square with 16 wheels, which began two months before the festival. People of Orissa actively participate in the Rath Yatra. The people have always been connected to this traditional festival of Orrisa, so much that in the olden times, the devotees used to jump to death in front of the Rath under the belief that dying under the Jagannath’s chariot will send them to heaven.
Time of Celebration- April or May
8. Magha Saptami
One of the most famous and most celebrated festivals of Konark temple is Magha Saptami. On this day, thousands of people gather on the shore of the Bay of Bengal to offer their prayers to the sea. Devotees take a holy dip in the sea near Chandrabhaga beach and welcome the rising Sun with prayers. This festival also marks the grand fair at Khandagiri near Bhubaneswar, which lasts for a week. The shore of Bay and Bengal and the offerings made to the Sun temple add the feeling of festivity among the people of Orissa.
Time of celebration- In February
9. Makar Mela
Makar Sankranti or Makar Mela is another important festival of Orrisa. The festival is celebrated when the Sun enters the orbit of Capricorn, and by this time harvest of new paddy, sugarcane crops are over. On this auspicious day, the people of Orissa offer prayers and food to the Sun God to have a healthy and prosperous life.
Time of celebration- January
10. Chhau Festival
To represent the tribal life and traditional dances of Orissa, the Chhau festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm in the whole of Orrisa. This festival is primarily attached to the Odissi dance form- Mayurbhanj Chhau. During this festival, the people of Orissa worship Lord Shiva. The trained classical dancers perform the act of Chhau with masks covering their faces. The dance form has various classical and martial arts elements in it. Chhau festival offers a complete treat of dance performances, great food, and the vibrant tribal life of Orrisa.
Time of celebration- March or April.
11. Puri Beach Festival
Puri Beach Festival is an annual celebration that takes place in November for about five days. It is a platform to highlight the cultural heritage of Orissa and is attended by several tourists from all over India. During this festival, various cultural events and exhibitions and fashion shows, food, adventure sports make it a wonderful celebration.
12. Naukhai
Nuakhai is the agricultural festival observed by people of Western Odisha & in some Chhattisgarh regions in India. Nuakhai is observed to welcome the new rice of the season. It is the most important social festival of Odisha but particularly of high significance in Western Odisha and adjoining areas. The word ‘nua’ means new, and ‘khai’ means food, so the name means the new crop that the farmers harvest, marking the start of the harvesting season. In recent years the festival is celebrated all around the country by people of Orissa who have migrated to these places.
Time of celebration- The festival is observed one day after the Ganesh Chaturthi every year (August or September)
13. Chatar Jatra
Khond People from the Kalahandi district in Odisha celebrate Chatar Jatra by worshipping their family Goddess, Maa Manikeswari. Maa Manikeswari is represented with a bamboo stick tied in a black cloth. The celebration starts on the night of Durga Ashtami. On the next day, on Dura Navami, the Goddess is carried around 3 km long Jatra. The people celebrate by performing the Ghumura dance. Animal sacrifices are also a part of the festival.
Time of celebration- On the day of Durga Ashtami
These are the few festivals of Orissa that represent the culture and beauty of this coastal state of India. With every festival being unique and extravagant with its culture and customs, each of them will lure you into being part of the grand celebration!
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