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Fairs & Festivals of Orissa |
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Nabakalebara
Related to the car-festival, an
important festival known as 'Nava Kalebara' is
held once in every twelve to nineteen years
according to the calculation of the year and
date. On this occasion the wooden images of
the deities are replaced by new ones. The
principle adopted to fix the year of renewal
is to find a year which has two full-moons in
the month of Asadh (June-July). In every three
years a lunar month is excluded from the
calculation to keep a balance between the
lunar and the solar years. This particular
month, which is excluded from calculation is
known as 'Adhimasa' or 'Mala masa' and is
considered most inauspicious for any religious
ceremony. But peculiarly enough this is
considered most sacred for the renewal
festival of the deities. Therefore, it is also
called 'Purusottama Masa', as the other name
of Lord Jagannath is Purusottama. During the
last hundred years such festivals have been
held only seven times in 1863, 1893, 1931,
1950, 1969, 1978 and 1996.
For making the new images a number of rituals
connected with it are observed. When the date
is fixed for the festival the Gajapati
Maharajah of Puri issues a proclamation to the
Vidyapati, Daitas and Brahmins well-versed in
the Vedas to go in search of the trees that
would provide logs for making the images.
Generaly this proclamation is issued on the
10th day of the full-moon of Chaitra
(March-April). After the mid-day rituals of
the Lord Jagannath, the Mahapatras receive 'Agnya
mala', the garland as a token of permission
from the Lord to go in search. Then the
Mahapatras carry this garland along with four
Daitapatis to the 'Anabasara pindi' (a
platform inside the temple) where they are
given new garments to wear. From there they go
to the Jagannath Math, the place of starting.
Accompaned by the Daitapatis, Deulakarana,
Tudhan, Lenka and four carpenters they go to
the temple of Mangala at Kakatpur which is
about forty kilometres in the north. There
they sleep in the temple to obtain permission
of the Goddess in dream before proceeding in
four batches to four directions in search of
the trees.
There are strict injunctions for selection of
the trees. The trees must be of Neemba. It
should have four branches and must be in near
vicinity of a buried ground or river. It
shouldn't have cut marks. Snakes below the
tree is an auspicious sign. Taking all these
specifications into account the selection is
made and the Daitapatis immediately place the
garland on the trees. Then the area is
cleaned. A platform is erected for Bana-yaga
ceremony. Four Brahmins conduct the ritual.
Then the Daitapatis sit in meditation for
three days. After this the Vidyapati marks the
tree with a golden axe and then the carpenters
begin to cut the tree into huge logs.
Thereafter the holy logs are carried in four
wheeled-carts newly built for the purpose. The
carts are not pulled by animals but by the
Sevakas and the people. The sacred logs are
taken into the temple compound through the
northern gate and are placed in the Koili
Baikuntha. On the day of Snana Purmina, the
logs are bathed along with the aid of deities.
Then the logs are carried to Darughara or the
stack, and eight Brahmins perform the ritual
after which the carving of the images begins
by a group of carpenters. During this period
nobody is allowed to visit the place. After
completion of the carving, the images are
painted bright in their respective colours by
the traditional chitrakars. The new idols are
then circumbulated for three times and brought
to the Anabasarapindi for transfer of Brahma
from the old deities into their new forms. The
senior most among the Pal Mahapatras performs
this rite at the dead hour of the night. He
takes away the Brahmas from the naval zones
and places them in the same position in the
new forms. But, he does it blind-folded and
with hands covered with clothes as he is not
to see or feel the mysterious Brahmas. Then
the old images are carried and buried in the
wells of Koili Baikuntha by the Daitapatis.
For this act they observe mourning for eleven
days as is commonly done at the death of a man
in a Hindu family.
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Religious Festivals
Major Religious Festivals:
Mahashiva Ratri, Durga Puja,
Ganesha
Chaturthi, Lakshmi
Puja, Deepavali,
Dusserah,
Dola
Purnima (Holi),
Akshyaya Trutiya,
Gahma
Purnima,
Makara
Sankranti, Ashokashtami,
Nuakhai,
Basanta
Panchami, Hingula
Yatra, Prathamastami,
Baseli Puja,
Janmastami,
Raja
Sankranti,
Chaitra
Parba, Kartika Purnima,
Rama Navami,
Khudurukuni
Osa, Savitri Brata,
Dhanu Yatra,
Kumar
Purnima, Shamba
Dasami, Sital Shashti,
Magha
Saptami,
Visuva
Samkranti,
Viswakarma
Puja.
Jagannath Temple Festivals
Major
Jagannath Temple Festivals:
Rath Yatra,
Chandan
Yatra,
Devasnana Purnima,
Basanta
Panchami,
Chitou
Amavasya, Nava
Kalebara.
Special festivals
Major Special Festivals:
Puri
Beach Festival,
Konark
Festival,
Kalinga
Mahotsav,
Raja Rani
Music Festival,
Shreekstra
Utsav, Ekamra Utsav,
Dhauli Mahatsova,
Folk Dance Festival,
Khandagiri Festival,
Konark Dance & Music
Festival,
Parab
Festival
Tribal Festivals
Major Tribal Festivals:
Chaita Parva,
Karama
Festival, Bali Jatra,
Sume-Gelirak,
Bija Pandu,
Kedu Festival,
Maghe Parab
Fairs & Exhibitions
Major Fairs & Exibitions:
Bali
Yatra, Magha Mela,
Taratarini
Mela, Joranda Mela,
Makar Mela
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