Agriculture festival 'Raja' organised in Odisha

Tags: Festivals

Raja or Mithun Sankranti is a three-day festival of womanhood celebrated in Odisha, India.

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Duration and name of festival days

• Raja Utsav is celebrated for three days.

• Day 1: 'The First King'

• Day 2: 'Majhi Raja' or 'Raja Sankranti' or 'Mithuna Sankranti'

• Third Day: 'Bhoodah' or 'Bassi Raja' or 'Shesh Raja'

Festival of Agriculture and Worship of Mother Earth

• This is a unique festival of Odisha where Mother Earth is revered.

• Agricultural activities like ploughing and digging are suspended during the festival.

• Like a menstruating woman, Mother Earth is given rest without any disturbance.

Significance of Raja Mahotsav in relation to monsoon

• 'Pahili Raja' falls on the last day of the month 'Jyestha', while 'Raja Sankranti' falls on the first day of the month 'Ashadha'.

• 'Raja Sankranti' marks the beginning of the rainy season.

• Farmers believe that the fertility of the earth doubles with the first shower of monsoon.

The ritual of 'Basumati Snan'

• The fourth day of the festival is called 'Basumati Snan'.

• Women, after completing three days of symbolic menstruation, take a ceremonial bath for the grinding stone.

• The grinding stone represents Mother Earth or Basumati.

About Odisha

Formation - 1 April 1936

Capital - Bhubaneswar

Governor - Ganeshi Lal

Chief minister - Naveen Patnaik

Rajya Sabha - 10 seats

Lok Sabha - 21 seats