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Raja Parba pronounced , also known as Mithuna Sankranti, is a three-day-long festival of womanhood
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 Vasumati
Snana, or ceremonial bath of Bhudevi. The term Raja came from the Sanskrit word 'Rajas' which means
menstruation and when a woman menstruates, she is called 'Rajaswala' or a menstruating woman, and in
medieval times the festival became more popular as an agricultural holiday marking the worship of Bhudevi,
who is the wife of lord Jagannath. A silver idol of Bhudevi is still to be found in the Puri Temple beside Lord
Jagannath .
It falls in mid June, the first day is called Pahili Raja,second day is Mithuna Sankranti, third day
is Bhudaaha or Basi Raja. The final fourth day is called Basumati snana, 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 seasonal fruits are offered to mother Bhumi. The day before first day is called Sajabaja or
preparatory 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, Alata, and ornaments. It is similar to Ambubachi Mela. The most popular among
numerous festivals in Odisha, Raja is celebrated for three consecutive days. Just as the earth
prepares itself to quench its thirst by the incoming rain the unmarried girls of the family are
groomed for impending matrimony through this festival. They pass these three days in joyous
festivity and observe customs like eating only uncooked and nourishing food
especially Podapitha,
do not take bath or take salt, do not walk barefoot and vow to give birth to healthy children in
future. The most vivid and enjoyable memories one has of the Raja gaiety is the rope-swings on
big banyan trees and the lyrical folk-songs that one listens from the nubile beauty enjoying the
atmosphere.
To celebrate the advent of monsoon, the joyous festival is arranged for three days by the villagers.
Though celebrated all over the state it is more enthusiastically observed in all over the Odisha but
celebrated with much fervour across the coastal districts. The first day is called "Pahili Raja",
second is "Raja Sankranti" and third is "Bhumi Dahana or Basi Raja".
According to popular belief as women menstruate, which is a sign of fertility, so also Mother Earth
menstruates. So all three days of the festival are considered to be the menstruating period of
Mother Earth. During the festival all agricultural operations remain suspended. As a mark of
respect towards the Earth during her menstruation days, all agricultural works comes to a
standstill during these days. Significantly, it is a festival of the unmarried girls, the potential
mothers. They all observe the restrictions prescribed for a menstruating woman. The very first day,
they rise before dawn, do their hair, anoint their bodies with turmeric paste and oil and then take
the purificatory 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 improvised swings, rending the village sky with their merry
impromptu songs.
The swings are of different varieties, such as 'Ram Doli', 'Charki Doli', 'Pata Doli', 'Dandi Doli' etc.
Songs specially meant for the festival speak of love, affection, respect, social behaviour and
everything of social order that comes to the minds of the singers. Through anonymous and
composed extempore, much of these songs, through sheer beauty of diction and sentiment, has
earned permanence and has gone to make the very substratum of Odisha's folk-poetry. While girls
thus scatter beauty, grace and music all around, moving up and down on the swings during the
festival, young men give themselves to strenuous games and good food, on the eve of the onset of
the monsoons, which will not give them even a minute's respite for practically four months making
them one with mud, slush and relentless showers, their spirits keep high with only the hopes of a
good harvest. As all agricultural activities remain suspended and a joyous atmosphere pervades,
the young men of the village keep themselves busy in various types of country games, the most
favourite being 'Kabadi'. Competitions are also held between different groups of villages. All nights
'Jatra' performances or 'Gotipua' dances are arranged in prosperous villages where they can afford
the professional groups. Enthusiastic amateurs also arrange plays and other kinds of
entertainment
