Dear Comrades,
Raja Parba
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Raja Parba or Mithuna Sankranti(Oriya:
ରଜ ପର୍ବ) is a four day long festival and the second day signifies beginning of the solar month of Mithuna from, which the season of rains starts. It inaugurates and welcomes the agricultural year all over Orissa,
which marks, through biological symbolism, the moistening of the sun
dried soil with the first showers of the monsoon in mid June thus making
it ready for productivity.
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ବନସ୍ତେ ଡାକିଲା ଗଜ,
ବରଷକେ ଥରେ ଆସିଛି ରଜ,
ଆସିଛି ରଜ ଲୋ
ଘେନି ନୂଆ ସଜବାଜ ॥
ରଜ ଦୋଳି କଟ କଟ,
ମୋ ଭାଇ ମଥାରେ ସୁନା-ମୁକୁଟ,
ସୁନା ମୁକୁଟ ଲୋ
ହେଉଥାଏ ଝକମକ ॥ |
” |
|
(Banaste dakila Gaja,barasake thare aasichhi Raja, asichi raja lo
gheni nua sajabaja' (meaning the Raja carnival has come with the pomp
and pleasure of newness)
| “ |
ପାନ ଖିଆ ରସିକ ପାଟି,
ଖୋଜି ବୁଲୁଥିଲା ରାଜାଙ୍କ ହାତୀ,
ଢାଳି ଦେଇଗଲା ଶିରରେ,
ରାଜା ହୋଇଗଲେ ରଜରେ ॥ |
” |
|
(Pana khia Rasika Pati, khoji buluthila Rajanka hati, dhali deigala sirare, raja hoigale rajare (Meaning the while the lucky charming man chewing betel was blessed with the wondering elephant with the kingship)
Mythology
It is believed that the mother goddess Earth or the divine wife of Lord Vishnu undergoes menstruation during the first three days.The fourth day is called as Vasumati gadhua or ceremonial bath of Bhudevi.The
term Raja has come from Rajaswala(meaning a menstruating woman) and
during medieval period the festival became more poular as an
agricultural holiday remarking the worship of Bhudevi,who is the wife of lord Jagannath.A silver idol of Bhudevi is still found in Puri Temple aside Lord Jagannatha.
Rituals and customs
During the three days women are given a break from household work and
time to play indoor games.Unmarried girls decorate themselves with new
fashion or traditional Saree and Alatha in feet.All people abstain from walking barefoot on earth.Generally various Pithas are made of which
Podopitha,and Chakuli Pitha are main.People play a lot of indoor and outdoor games.Girls play swings tied on tree branches whereas aged ladies play Cards and Ludo.Many villages organise Kabbadi matches among young men. The Raja gita (a folk song sung by the people is:
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ବନସ୍ତେ ଡାକିଲା ଗଜ,
ବରଷକେ ଥରେ ଆସିଛି ରଜ,
ଆସିଛି ରଜ ଲୋ
ଘେନି ନୂଆ ସଜବାଜ ॥
ରଜ ଦୋଳି କଟ କଟ,
ମୋ ଭାଇ ମଥାରେ ସୁନା-ମୁକୁଟ,
ସୁନା ମୁକୁଟ ଲୋ
ହେଉଥାଏ ଝକମକ ॥ |
” |
|
(Banaste dakila Gaja,barasake thare aasichhi Raja, asichi raja lo
gheni nua sajabaja' (meaning the Raja carnival has come with the pomp
and pleasure of newness)
| “ |
ପାନ ଖିଆ ରସିକ ପାଟି,
ଖୋଜି ବୁଲୁଥିଲା ରାଜାଙ୍କ ହାତୀ,
ଢାଳି ଦେଇଗଲା ଶିରରେ,
ରାଜା ହୋଇଗଲେ ରଜରେ ॥ |
” |
|
(Pana khia Rasika Pati, khoji buluthila Rajanka hati, dhali deigala sirare, raja hoigale rajare (Meaning the while the lucky charming man chewing betel was blessed with the wondering elephant with the kingship)
Observances
It falls in mid June,the first day is called
Pahili Raja,second day is Mithuna Sankranti,third day is
Bhu daaha or
Basi Raja.The final fourth day is called
Vasumati snan,in which the ladies bath the grinding stone as a symbol of Bhumi
with turmeric paste and adore with flower,sindoor etc.All type of
sesonal fruits are offered to mother Bhumi.The day before first day is
called
Sajabaja or preparatiory day during which the house
,kitchen including grinding stones are cleaned,spices are ground for
three days.During these three days women and girls take rest from work
and wear new Saree,Alaktaka,and ornaments.Its similar to Ambubachi Mela.
