This six lettered state has a rich heritage & culture. Odisha is not only an ideal choice for waterfalls and scenic beauties but also for her colourful fairs and festivals that are a celebration of life in all its infinite variety. The festivals are as numerous as the days in a year, each with an individuality of its own. It is said in ODIA as “BARA MASARE TERA PARBA”.
As on the month of January we celebrate:
New Year – On this day everybody celebrates & welcomes a new year with the hope of prosperity & development.
Makar Sankranti:- Makar Sankranti is one of the most auspicious occasions for the Hindus, and is celebrated in almost all parts of India in a myriad of cultural forms, with great devotion, fervour, and gaiety. It is a harvest festival. Makar Sankranti is perhaps the only Indian festival whose date always falls on the same day every year: 14 January, with some exceptions, when the festival is celebrated on 13 January or 15 January. Makar Sankranti is also believed to mark the arrival of spring in India.
On this day colourful kites are sold. Some organisation organise kite flying competition.
Samba Dasami :- On the day mothers observe special puja and rituals dedicated to Lord Surya for the good health and long life of their children. The story of Samba Dasami is associated with Samba, the son of Lord Krishna
18th January:-Guru Govind Singji’s Birth Anniversary:-
Guru Gobind Singh (born Gobind Rai ) 22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708 was the tenth of the ten Sikh Gurus, the eleventh guru being the living perpetual Guru, Guru Granth Sahib (the sacred text of Sikhism). He was a Warrior, Poet and Philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the Leader of Sikhs at the young age of nine. He contributed much to Sikhism; notable was his contribution to the continual formalisation of the faith which the first Guru Guru Nanak had founded, as a religion, in the 15th century.[3][4] Guru Gobind Singh, the last of the living Sikh Gurus, initiated the Sikh Khalsa in 1699 passing the Guruship of the Sikhs to the Eleventh and Eternal Guru of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib.
25th January:- Foundation of brahma Samaj
Brahmo Samaj (Bengali ব্রাহ্ম সমাজ Bramho Shômaj) is the societal component of Brahmoism, a monotheistic reformist and renaissance movement ofHindu religion. It is practised today mainly as the Adi Dharm after its eclipse in Bengal consequent to the exit of the Tattwabodini Sabha from its ranks in 1859. After the publication of Hemendranath Tagore's Brahmo Anusthan (code of practice) in 1860 which formally divorced Brahmoism from Hinduism, the first Brahmo Samaj was founded in 1861 at Lahore by Pandit Nobin Chandra Roy.
It was one of the most influential religious reformist movements responsible for the making of modern India.[2] It was started at Calcutta on 20 August 1828 by Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Debendranath Tagore as reformation of the prevailing Brahmanism of the time (specifically Kulin practices) and began the Bengal Renaissance of the 19th century pioneering all religious, social and educational advance of the Hindu community in the 19th century. Its Trust Deed was made in 1830 formalising its inception and it was duly and publicly inaugurated in January 1830 by the consecration of the first house of prayer, now known as the Adi Brahmo Samaj. From the Brahmo Samaj springs Brahmoism, one of the recent sects or faiths of Hinduism. It is not recognised in India as a separate religion distinct from Hinduism despite its non-syncretic "foundation of Rammohun Roy's reformed spiritual Hinduism (contained in the 1830 Banian deed) and inclusion of root Hebraic – Islamic creed and practice" [4] though the position is different in Bangladesh
23rd January:-Netaji Subhash Bosh Jayanti
As everybody knows he was a freedom fighter from Odisha.He was from Cuttack.
25th Jan-Mohammad’s Birthday also known as Mohammad Jayanti
Muhammad was a religious, political, and military leader from Mecca who unified Arabia into a single religiouspolity under Islam He is believed by Muslims and Bahais to be a messenger and prophet of God. Muhammad is almost universally considered by Muslims as the last prophet sent by God for mankind. While non-Muslims regard Muhammad to have been the founder of Islam,[6] Muslims consider him to have been the restorer of an unaltered original monotheistic faith of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets.
• 26th Jan;- Republic Day is one of three national holidays in India and is the celebration of the Constitution of India. Government offices, post offices, schools and most businesses are closed on this day.
• India became independent from British rule in 1947 but, at that stage, had no formal constitution. On 24 January 1950, after nearly three years of deliberations, the Constitution of India was signed. Two days after this on 26 January the Constitution came into effect across India.
FEBRUARY:-
Basant Panchami:- Saraswati Puja is usually held in January-February and it is also known as Vasanta Panchami (fifth day of Spring) and it marks the end of Winter and advent of spring. Saraswati is the goddess of learning and as such this festival is celebrated most ardently by the school and college students to pray for success in their academic pursuits. Thousands of clay idols are worshipped in the academic institutions, in public places and in homes. The next day the idols are taken in procession to rivers, ponds and seas and immersed. This immersion of idols is a common feature of all the festivals in which they are installed for worship. In some places the immersion takes place on the 3rd, 5th or 7th day of the worship.
Negative impact of this event is that clay idols when immersed in water .that causes to water pollution.As many people depend on ponds ,rivers to fulfil water requirements. They are badly affected .
Shiv Ratri /Jagar Amabasya
Shiva Ratri (February) is one of the most prominent festivals of the Saivites in Orissa. Owing to the presence of a large number of temples of Siva, the festival is celebrated widely. It is also known as Jagara jatra which refers to the night-long vigil kept by the devotees, especially women, to have their desires fulfilled. In many places the celebration of the festival is marked by the organisation of fairs of different kinds. The most notable places for this festival are the Lokanath temple (Puri), Lingaraj temple (Bhubaneswar), Kapilas temple (Dhenkanal) and Nrusinghnath temple (Balangir).
MARCH:-Dola Purnima
Dolapwnima or Holi is the most famous spring festival of India. Usually celebrated in March It has special properties in its celebration in Orissa where it is a five day affair, especially in the rural areas. The images of Krishna are worshipped form Dashami (10th day of the bright fortnight) to the full moon day. The images are taken in decorated vimans, small wooden temples, carried on the shoulders of bearers from house to house where offerings are made to them. After the tour of the village the vimanas from different villages are assembled in an open field and the time is spent in bhajana and kirtan. Jatras and palas are also held in the area. The day after the full moon day people throw coloured water on one another and smear each others faces with coloured powder (3bir). The festival is specially important for cattle owing to their association with the cowherd boy Krisllna. They are bathed, anointed with vermillion, garlanded and fed sumptuously. The festival is connected with the destruction of the demon Holikasura or the she-demon Holika by making a bonfire, for which the festival is called Holi.
Such Melan or Fairs continue till the month of Chaitra in different places of the district of Cuttack, Puri and Ganjam.
5th March:-Panchayati raj divas
Panchayati Raj Divas is Celebrated in Odisha:
• To recognize the importance of Panchayati Raj system
• To create awareness among people regarding Panchayati Raj system
• To imbibe the empowerment among Panchayati Raj representatives
• To reward the best performers in Panchayati Raj institutions
• To reward the leaderships in Panchayati Raj systems
APRIL:-
1st April;-Utkal Diwas
Odisha Day (Oriya: ଓଡ଼ିଶା ଦିବସ) also known as Utkala Dibasa is celebrated on 1 April in Odisha in the memory of the formation of the state as a separate province on 1 April 1936.[1] [2] After losing its complete political identity in 1568 following the defeat and demise of the lastHindu king Mukunda Dev, efforts resulted into the formation of a politically separate state under British rule on linguistic basis on 1 April 1936. The main revolution for the separate state was continued for three decades from the very day of formation of Utkal Sammilani that lead the foundation of a separate Odisha Province. The movement was more intensed with the leadership of Utkala Gouraba Madhusudan Das, Utkala mani Gopabandhu Das, Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati, Pandita Nilakantha Das, Fakir Mohan Senapati, Gangadhar Meher, Basudeba Sudhaladeba, Radhanath Ray, Bhubanananda Das, A. P. Patro and many others with the support of the public. The newly formed Odisha consisted of six districts namely Cutack, Puri, Baleswar, Sambalpur, Koraput and Ganjam having its capital at Cuttack.John Austin Hubback took oath of office and became the first Governor of Odisha Province.
Ram Navami:-
Ram Navami (Devanāgarī: राम नवमी) also known as Sri Rama Navami is a Hindu festival, celebrating the birth of Lord Rama to King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya of Ayodhya. Ram is the 7th incarnation of the Dashavatara of Vishnu. Years later Lord Rama was married to Sita on the Vivaha Panchami. The sacred marriage of Devi Sita with Lord Rama was held on Margashirsha Shukla Panchami as per Valmiki Ramayana (This occasion is known as Seetha kalyanam). The Rama Navami festival falls in the Shukla Paksha on the Navami, the ninth day of the month of Chaitra in the Hindu calendar. Thus it is also known as Chaitra Masa Suklapaksha Navami, and marks the end of the nine-dayChaitra-Navratri celebrations.
MAY:-
22nd May:- Raja RamMohan Ray Jayanti:
Raja Ram Mohan Roy was Born on May 22, 1772 and Died on September 27, 1833. Raja Ram Mohan Roy was the organizer of Atmiya Sabha and Brahma Samaj. Raja Ram Mohan Roy was played an important key role in ending of Sati. Fight for the rights of the freedom.Raja Ram Mohan Roy is also called the ‘Maker of Modern India’. Raja Ram Mohan Roy was the organizer of Brahmo Samaj, he is one of the first Indian socio-religious transformation faction. Raja Ram Mohan Roy played a chief role in abolishing the character of Sati.
He is remembered in the Indian history as the originator of all the important secular movements. Although Raja Ram Mohan Roy introduced the western concepts, he was appreciated not only in India but all over the world for his sincere efforts to build a nation with respectable values and a living place for everybody
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JULY:-
Rath Yatra
The Rath Yatra or Car Festival (June–July) attracts pilgrims and visitors from all over the world. On the full moon day of the month of Jyestha known as Snana Yatra, the idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra andsudarshana chakra are brought out and bathed on a pendal known as the SnanaMandap according to religious rites. Then they are believed to become indisposed and are confined to a solitary abode for a fortnight where they undergo 'treatment', are offered special ayurvedic medicine boli and some special liquid diet called 'sarapana'. After a rest of fifteen days, on the second day of the lunar month, Ashadha shukla Dwitiya the three Lords 'come out' in huge chariots to 'meet' the waiting devotees, marking the start of the Grand Festival known as 'Ratha Yatra'.
AUGUST:-
August:
1:--Id-Ul-Fitre
Eid al-Fitr "festival of breaking of the fast"), also called Feast of Breaking the Fast, the Sugar Feast, the Sweet Festival and the Lesser Eid, is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of Ramadan, theIslamic holy month of fasting (sawm). The religious Eid is a single day and Muslims are not permitted to fast that day. The holiday celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan. The day of Eid, therefore, falls on the first day of the month of Shawwal. This is a day where Muslims around the world try to show a common goal of unity. Since some of the c ountries have different calculation and observation techniques, the day of celebration may change 1 day depending on the country, but in most of the Islamic countries, it is celebrated on the same day.
2:-15th August:- Indepedence day
3:-Janmastami:-
Krishna Janmashtami (Devanagari कृष्ण जन्माष्टमी kṛṣṇa janmāṣṭami), also known as Krishnashtami, Saatam Aatham, Gokulashtami, Ashtami Rohini, Srikrishna Jayanti, Sree Jayanti or sometimes merely as Janmashtami, is an annual commemoration of the birth of the Hindu deity Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu.
The festival is celebrated on the eighth day (Ashtami) day of the Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) of the month of Shraavana (August–September) in theHindu calendar. Rasa lila, dramatic enactments of the life of Krishna, are a special feature in regions of Mathura and Vrindavan, and regions followingVaishnavism in Manipur.[2] While the Rasa lila re-creates the flirtatious aspects of Krishna's youthful days, the Dahi Handi celebrate God's playful and mischievous side, where teams of young men form human towers to reach a high-hanging pot of butter and break it. This tradition, also known asuriadi, is a major event in Tamil Nadu on Gokulashtami.
September:-
Ganesh Chaturthi:-
Ganesha Chaturthi is the Hindu festival celebrated on the birthday (rebirth) of Lord Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati.
It is believed that Lord Ganesh bestows his presence on earth for all his devotees during this festival. It is the day Shiva declared his son Ganesha as superior to all the gods, barring Vishnu, Lakshmi, Shiva and Parvati. Ganesha is widely worshipped as the god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune and traditionally invoked at the beginning of any new venture or at the start of travel. The festival, also known as Ganeshotsav ("festival of Ganesha") is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon period). The date usually falls between 19 August and 20 September. The festival lasts for 10 days, ending on Anant Chaturdashi (fourteenth day of the waxing moon period).
While celebrated all over India, it is most elaborate in Maharashtra, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Outside India, it is celebrated widely in Nepal and by Hindus in the United States, Canada, Mauritius,[1] Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, Fiji, Trinidad & Tobago, and Guyana.
October-Durga Puja
Durga Puja : Durga Puja ‘Worship of Durga’), also referred to as Durgotsava , ‘Festival of Durga’) or Sharadotsav is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga. It refers to all the six days observed as Mahalaya, Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and Vijayadashami. The dates of Durga Puja celebrations are set according to the traditional Hindu calendar and the fortnight corresponding to the festival is called Devi Paksha (Bengali: ( ‘Fortnight of the Goddess’). Devi Paksha is preceded by Mahalaya , the last day of the previous fortnight Pitri Paksha, ‘Fortnight of the Forefathers’), and is ended on Kojagori Lokkhi Puja (‘Worship of Goddess Lakshmi on Kojagori Full Moon Night’).
Durga Puja festival marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura. Thus, Durga Puja festival epitomises the victory of Good over Evil.
November:-Diwali
Deepavali or Diwali (Sanskrit: दीपावली,Tamil: தீபாவளி, Nepali: दीपावली तिहार, Hindi: दिवाली, Gujarati: દિવાળી, Marathi: दिवाळी, Kannada: ದೀಪಾವಳಿ,Konkaniधाकली दिवाळी]], Malayalam: ദീപാവലി, Oriya: ଦୀପାବଳୀ, Punjabi: ਦਿਵਾਲੀ, Telugu: దీపావళి) (also spelt Devali in certain regions) , popularly known as the "festival of lights," is a five-day Hindu festival[3] which starts on Dhanteras, celebrated on the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna paksha (dark fortnight) of the Hindu calendar month Ashwin and ends on Bhaubeej, celebrated on second lunar day of Shukla paksha (bright fortnight) of the Hindu calendar month Kartik. Dhanteras usually falls eighteen days after Dussehra.[4] In the Gregorian calendar, Diwali falls between mid-October and mid-November.
17th November:-
Guru Nanak Birthday:-
Guru Nanak Gurpurab also known as Guru Nanak's Prakash Utsav, celebrates the birth of the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak.[1] This is one of the most sacred festivals in Sikhism.[2] Apart from Sikhs, the Nanakpanthi Hindus and other followers of Guru Nanak's philosophy also celebrate this festival.
The festivities in the Sikh religion revolve around the anniversaries of the 10 Sikh Gurus. These Gurus were responsible for shaping the beliefs of the Sikhs. Their birthdays, known as Gurpurab (or Gurpurb), are occasions for celebration and prayer among the Sikhs.
Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, was born on 15 April 1469[1] in Rai-Bhoi-di Talwandi in the present Shekhupura District of Pakistan, nowNankana Sahib.[3] His birth is celebrated on Kartik Poornima, i.e., the day of the full moon in the month of Kartik. In the Gregorian Calendar, the celebration usually falls in the month of November, but its date varies from year to year, based on the traditional dates of the Indian calendar.
December:-Christmas
Socio,religious,economic impact of festivals on Odisha:-
1. Generating substantial wealth and employment
2. Enhancing Local image & identity.
3. Impact on local businesses