Bhubaneswar: June 14: People of Odisha started celebrating their most awaited Raja Festival from today, which is the first day of the festival called Pahili Raja. An air of festivity pervaded across the state and suddenly, the look of the cities and villages changed with decorative faces of odiya girls. At every home, the girls are seen dressed up with new costumes/dresses besides decorating themselves with Alata and all. As per the tradition, girls wear new sharees and decorate their faces with chandan and kumkum. But, the age-old traditions of Raja have given way to new approaches with the festivities limited to lavish spending on new dresses and other purchases, many organisations made sincere efforts to keep the traditions alive by organising special programmes. But, still, one can find the traditional touch in villages.
City dwellers are seen enjoying this festival wearing new dresses and for which, all the big shops and malls have come up with dresses/sharees having new designs and colours besides announcing schemes of discounts and all for the customers. Almost all the shops/garment centres are seen crowded with people, because people used to prepare themselves well-before the festival to purchase dresses and all.
Traditionally, People of Odisha used to take Mutton Curry and Mota Chakuli during this festival besides varieties of Pithas or Cakes. But, since last few years, the hoteliers/restaurant owners have been organising special food festivals for the people. To make this festival more enjoyable and remarkable, the people have been taking this opportunity and moving to hotels/restaurants to have the taste of special foods. Like earlier years, hoteliers/restaurant owners are expecting a good business.
Another way of celebrating Raja is watching good Odiya Movies. Film Industry of Odisha also gives best of its productions during this festival as usual. This year, three odiya cinemas like Agastya, Love Staion and Premare Premare released on Sunday to make this festival more enjoyable.
Notably, Raja Festival or Raja Parba is celebrated for 4 days. The first day is called Pahili Raja whereas second day as Raja, third day as Basi Raja and fourth day as Basumati snana. As per the tradition, on the day of Basumati snana, the ladies bath the grinding stone as a symbol of Bhumi or earth with turmeric paste and adore with flower and sindoor. All types of seasonal fruits are offered to mother Bhumi. During these three days celebration, women are given a break from their usual household works and they spend the time playing indoor games like cards and ludus. Unmarried girls abstain from walking barefoot on earth. Generally, various Pithas or Cakes are made, of which Poda Pitha and Chakuli Pitha are main. Girls play swings tied on tree branches while singing traditional songs on Raja. According to popular belief as women menstruate, which is a sign of fertility, so also Mother Earth menstruates. So, the festival is considered to be the menstruating period of Mother Earth. During the festival all agricultural operations remain suspended. On the day of Pahili Raja, the unmarried girls rise before dawn, do their hair, anoint their bodies with turmeric paste and oil and then take the bath in a river or tank. Peculiarly, bathing for the rest two days is prohibited. They don’t walk bare-foot do not scratch the earth, do not grind, do not tear anything apart, do not cut and do not cook. During all the three consecutive days they are seen in the best of dresses and decorations, eating cakes and rich food at the houses of friends and relatives, spending long cheery hours, moving up and down on swings tied on tree branches with traditional songs of raja.
