Raja Parba: Vibrant Celebration of Femineity in Odisha

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Subhalaxmi Dash

Odisha has a special custom of honoring the Cycle of Life and celebrating Menstruation and Womanhood through the ‘Raja Parba’ celebration. This three-day celebration demonstrates the state’s dedication to defying social conventions and honoring life’s natural cycles. The festival is observed in the middle of June. The first day of the celebration is called ‘Pahili Raja’, the second is called ‘Mithuna Sankranti’, and the third is called ‘Bhudaaha’ or ‘Basi Raja’. On the fourth day, known as ‘Basumati Snana’, the women adorn the grinding stone – a symbol of Bhumi – with flowers, sindoor, and other items after bathing it in turmeric paste.

The first three days of the festival are thought to be when the Hindu earth goddess Bhumi goes through her menstrual cycle, according to folklore. The ladies of Odisha are given a unique place in this celebration, which is believed to be a time of rest and regeneration for the planet. During these three days, they are urged to rest, put on new clothes, and beautify themselves with decorations rather than doing any housework. The celebration has additional significance since, according to the Hindu calendar, it signifies the Sun’s entry into Gemini (Mithuna), a sign associated with fertility and rain.

The celebration honors womanhood, and Odia women are accorded the deference and attention they merit, much like the goddess Bhumi. The festival’s first three days are devoted to the purification and cleaning rites of Mother Earth, who is revered as a menstrual lady. In addition, the festival honors femininity and womanhood, with single or unmarried girls and prospective moms receiving particular recognitionand special attention. The rituals and activities carried out during the festival are intended to encourage these since it is believed to be a period of fresh starts, fertility, and expansion. The celebration makes a strong statement against the social mores that frequently stigmatize and marginalize women who are menstruating. The Festival of Raja Parba breaks the taboo.

There is an agricultural significance to the occasion as well. It also signifies the start of the solar month Mithuna, which is thought to bring fertility and rain to the land. The Odiabelieve this to be a time of great fertility and productivity on Earth, and they adore the goddess Bhumi to commemorate this fertility. Bhudevi, the consort of Lord Vishnu, is significant because she is associated with the Earth and its fertility. The purpose of the celebration is to convey gratitude to the Earth for her fertility and to guarantee an abundant crop. If farmers worship Bhudevi and offer prayers during the festival, it is believed that she will bless them with a bountiful harvest.

Essentially, Bhudevi, who symbolizes the cyclical aspect of life and the fertility of the Earth, is the key figure in the Raja Parba ceremony. Her relevance in the event is diverse, covering themesof agriculture, femininity, and the value of respecting the natural world. It’s a time when the locals join together to celebrate nature’s richness and give thanks for life’s benefits. Women can take a vacation from their everyday chores during the festival and participate in diversified cultural activities, including dressing in traditional clothing, playing games, singing folk songs, swinging on exquisitely adorned swings, and preparing Odia delicacies known as ‘Pitha’.

Subhalaxmi Dash,

MA English with Communication Studies, Christ University, Bengaluru Yeshwanthpur Campus.