Festivals Of Orissa

Orissa is not only an ideal choice for waterfalls and scenic beauties but also for her colourful fairs and festivals, that are a celebration of life in all its infinite variety. Tribal traditions and religious fervour of cultural performances juxtapose together to create a visual feast for the visitor's eye.

The festivals are as numerous as the days in a year, each with an individuality of its own, culminating in the grand Car Festival of Puri. Express Travel & Tourism finds out some of the major festivals and fairs of Orissa.

Lok Mahotsava (January): To bring the folk dances and music of Orissa to limelight, the Lok Mahotsava is organised every year at Gangadhar Mandap in Sambalpur for three days. The town wears a new look on those days and the entire atmosphere is filled with the beating of dhol and sweet melody of sehnais.

Makar Mela (January): Makar Sankranti is celebrated with gusto in mid-January when the sun enters the orbit of Capricon. The sun god is worshipped with great fervour and enthusiasm. The festival can be best enjoyed at Kalijai (an island in Chilika), Atri, Ghatgaon, Keonjhar, Jashipur and Jagatsinghpur.

Parab (January): Parab is organised every year in Koraput by the District Administration of Koraput in collaboration with the Department of Tourism and Culture, Government of Orissa. Not only the tribal dances, for which the region is renowned, but also the folk dances and Odissi, the only classical dance form of Orissa, are presented during this festival. The other highlights include exhibition, craft mela, adventure sports like river rafting, mountaineering etc.

Magha Mela (January-February): The most popular and colourful festival of Konark, an occasion for a grand congregation of Indian pilgrims and enthusiasts from abroad, falls on the seventh day of the bright half of 'Magha'. The Indian pilgrims take holy dips in the Chandrabhaga Tirtha near the sea and welcome 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.

Mahasivaratri (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.

Dola (March-April): Dola, popularly known as Holi is the most popular and colourful festival of Orissa, celebrated on Phalgun Purnima and a day succeeding. Based on the romantic plays of Radha and Krishna, people converge on the streets with their idols on gaily decorated 'Vimans' singing devotional songs in their praise and throwing coloured powder and water on each other.

Taratarini Mela (March-April): The 'Taratarini Mela', one of Orissa's biggest fairs, takes place on each Tuesday in 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 third Tuesday.

Ashokastami (April): The Car Festival of Lord Lingaraj at Bhubanes-war, 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 April 10-11 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 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 fifth 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 the Car Festival is the grandest of all festivals held 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 second 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 standstill in the city of Cuttack as large crowds gather in the Puja Mandaps (makeshift temples) to enjoy the festivities. On the day succeeding 'Vijaya Dasami', the last day of Durga Puja, 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 of one week.

Beach Festival (February): 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 November 5 to 9, 2005 each year has come to limelight in recent times.

Bali Yatra (November-December): To commemorate the glorious past of commercial voyages to the islands of Bali, Java and Sumatra by Orissan Traders, a big fair called 'Bali Yatra' is held on Mahanadi river bank at Cuttack on the fullmoon day of Kartik.

Konark Festival (December): A festival of classical dance forms performed by the celebrated danseurs of the country in the open air auditorium set amidst the casuarinas grove with the Sun Temple, a World Heritage Monument as the back drop. During the festival evenings the atmosphere is surcharged with rhythmic dancing beats and melodious tunes.

Dhanu Yatra (December-January): Dhanu Yatra relating to the episode of Lord Krishna's visit to Mathura to witness the ceremony of 'Bow' is colorfully observed at Bargarh. The town becomes Mathura, the river Jira becomes Yamuna and the village Amapali 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 to see the performance.