While, even in 2021, people find menstruation a hush-hush topic and taboo in India, Odisha has an entire festival dedicated to celebrating menstruation and womanhood. Today marks the starting of the 3-day festival called ‘Raja Parba’ celebrated by the people of Odisha.
It is believed that the unique festival, also popular as Mithuna Sankranti, signifies that Mother Earth or the divine wife of Lord Vishnu undergoes menstruation during the first three days. Goddess Bhudevi, the wife of Lord Jagannath, is worshiped during this festival.
“It is believed that during this period Mother Earth menstruates & prepares herself for future agri activities with the arrival of monsoon,” Hindustan Times quoted Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC), chairperson S Mishra as saying.
Odisha observes Raja Parba, a 3-day festival of menstruation & womanhood
It is believed that during this period Mother Earth menstruates & prepare herself for future agri activities with the arrival of monsoon: Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC), chairperson S Mishra pic.twitter.com/oF2ydkAIUn
— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2021
On the occasion, women rest for three days and wear new colorful clothes and dress themselves up with traditional makeup and ornaments. People also relish mouth-watering Pitha, a traditional dessert of Odisha.
However, due to the ongoing fight with the coronavirus pandemic, the people of Odisha are celebrating it in a low-key manner. The OTDC also launched a special program named ‘Pitha on Wheels’ wherein vehicles selling different varieties of the traditional cake would be stationed in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and Sambalpur.
“Due to COVID-19, we’re celebrating Raja Parba with a very low key. As women don’t work during these 3 days 7 vehicles of ‘Pitha On wheels’ will reach people’s doorstep in Bhubaneswar,” she added.
Due to #COVID19, we’re celebrating Raja Parba with a very low key. (As women don’t work during these 3 days) 7 vehicles of ‘Pitha On wheels’ will reach people’s doorstep in Bhubaneswar: Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC), chairperson S Mishra pic.twitter.com/arrrMEHcxh
— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2021
This is what people have to share about the festival:
Raja Parba pronounced as ‘raw-jaw’ is a beautiful celebration of womanhood. Mother Earth is given rest with no agricultural activity. Women and girls of the family are celebrated, new clothes are bought, decorated jhoolas set up for them. Complete break from work. @odisha_tourism https://t.co/GB1KcB3oRH
— Shefali Vaidya. 🇮🇳 (@ShefVaidya) June 14, 2021
Wow. This is something unique heard in recent days. https://t.co/OnBs52VgT2
— Shailendra yadav (@Ess_why25) June 13, 2021
such a nice gesture to disseminate womanhood and consciousness https://t.co/BbVrjSpher
— Rishi Gupta (@creativerishi) June 13, 2021
Odisha is way ahead man.
What are these revolutionary festivals 👏 https://t.co/ibX8FzTY9z
— IndianTweeter (@bhaarathvaasi) June 13, 2021
In Hinduism we celebrate women and womenhood. Miss Rojo like anything. All the pithas, new dress and swings made my childhood wonderful 😭😭😭
— Sunita ସୁନିତା ಸುನೀತಾ 🇮🇳 (@sunita1712) June 14, 2021
Apparently, there are several other Indian festivals that celebrate menstruating women.
Wow! It’s very similar to the rituals observed at the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati where, mythologically speaking, the vagina and womb of goddess Sati fell.
— Nita Ghosh (@GhoshNita) June 13, 2021
Beautiful! The concept is alike to Ma Kamakhya's Shaktipeeth in Assam, where the goddess is worshiped during menstruation. There's no enforcement of sexism in Sanatan Dharma.
Our practices aren't misogynistic!#RajaParba https://t.co/SNJBaV9WtM
— Deeksha Negi (@NegiDeekshaa) June 14, 2021
Such festivals should be popularized across the country, don’t you think? Happy Raja Parba to those celebrating.