"Panchuka" Kartika Maasa Odisha Festival.

Odisha is Known as the Temple City and it is deeply rooted in culture and Traditions. People of Odisha celebrate all the festivals as per the Hindu Calender. From previous Old age, people are saying "Bara Masa Tere Parba"(thirteen festivals in twelve months) are celebrated in Lord Jagannath Land. 

Panchuka Rangoli

In Hindu Calendar the holiest month are Baisakh, Asadha, Kartika, and Margasira. Kartika Maasa Starts from the next day of Kumar Purnima which marks the end of Aswini Maasa. On the month of Kartika, every day people take the bath from early morning 4 AM and regular visit to the nearest temple. As per tradition people only eat the vegetarian food item.

The last five days of the month is called Panchuka and the very last day of these five days is celebrated as Kartika Purnima. These five days devotees make the food without onion and garlic during Kartika maasa. On the time of Panchuka, even a crane(Fish Hunting Bird) does not eat fish during Panchuka!

Early in the morning Married women take the bath and wear the puja cotton sarees and draw the beautiful rangoli design around the chaura(tulsi Plant) during Panchuka.

Dhabalamukhi besha of Maa Samaleswari on Mahalaya.

Everyone knows about western Odisha which is famous for sambalpuri saree and the presiding deity of Sambalpur maa Samalei.  Maa Samaleswari gives darshan to the devotees in blood red sindur avatar but on the special auspicious occasion of Sradha Mahalaya Maa gives darshan in this white-faced cool avatar that is popularly known as “Dhabalamukhi Besa” or “Whitefaced avatar” or “Ganga Darshan”. Thousands of devotees come to Maa samalei temple.

Dhabalamukhi Besha of Maa Samalei.

Maa Samaleswari’s Dhabalamukhi Besa is the creation from the combined shakti of Maa Saraswati, Maa Mahakali, and Maa Maha Laxmi. One day before Sradha Mahalaya Maa gives darshan in Sati Besa to her devotees. Maa lives in this white avatar for 2 days. It is also believed that the person who gets the opportunity to have darshan of Maa is lucky and gets blessings of Maa. Devotees take the fasting from the next day for Navratri puja. In every Sakti pitha Navratri puja held for nine days.

Jyeshtha Gauri Puja in Maharastra.

In Maharastra, Gauri Puja means to worshipped Goddess Parvati(Gauri). Ganesh Chaturthi is the Main Festival for the Maharashtrians, and Goddess Parvati also puja with great pomp and show.  It is a great festival in Maharastra where only women can do the puja.

Gauri Puja

On the previous day of the puja, Gauri Idol brought inside the house and then decorated with traditional Silk saree and bridal jewelry like bindi, bangles, necklace, etc. All female get together and wear traditional handloom silk saree and pray to Maa Parvati for good wishes of their home and young girls keep whole day fast for getting the better husband.

On this Special Day, Women offer various types of fruits like coconut, and special dish. On the Next day, Gauri Visarjan takes place with full pomp and Show.

Today is Radha Astami festival.

Today is Radha Ashtami festival, and people celebrated as birth Anniversary of Goddess Radha, the consort of  Lord Krishna. It falls on the eighth day of Shukla Paksha in the month of Bhadraba.

Goddess Radha.

On this day devotees of Lord Krishna keep fast on Radha Ashtami day and wear real traditional clothes and visit the nearest Lord Krishna Temple. Peoples offer Dhoop, Incense Sticks, Kumkum, Roli, flower, fruits, sweets and beautiful Shringar items to the idols. 

According to Mythology, When Lord Vishnu took avatar as Lord Krishna in the earth, Goddess Laxmi appeared as Radharani. This day marks as Radhaastami or Radhajayanti.

Odisha People celebrate Nuakhai Festival Today.

Nuakhai means the festival of Harvest, and in Odisha, people celebrate it with full spirit and in a great way.

Nuakhai Festival.

The Name " Nuakhai" is a combination of two words they are "Nua, " and "Khai" Nua means New and Khai means food. When the Word put together, it comes Nuakhai. On this Special, Day Women's take a bath from the morning and wear new Various design's of western Sambalpuri clothes and worshipped the new grains which taken from the land to Goddess Samaleswari to whom the festival is dedicated and make delicious sweets in this new grain. This festival is celebrated on the lunar fortnight in Bhadrapada months, the day after Ganesh Chaturthi festival.

Today is Varalakshmi Vratam 2017 Pooja.

Varalakshmi Vrat 2017 is today and women across these south Indian states will dress up traditionally to celebrate this festival and take fast for getting the blessing of Maa Lakshmi.

Varalaxmi Pooja.

Every year in the month of Shravan( Monsoon season) on Friday preceding the full moon night( Purnima), married women in South India, Maharastra, and Odisha observe the Varalakshmi Vrata. This year this puja falls on Friday 4th August means today. The fasting and worshipping are done mainly by the married women for good wishes of their family.

On this day married women wear the traditional silk saree and decorate with golden jewelry and take fast until the end of the pooja in the evening. On this day Goddess Laxmi is worshipping in 8 avatars, Goddess of wealth(Shri), Earth(Bhu), Learning(Saraswati), Love(Priti), Fame(Kirti), Peace(Shanti), Pleasure(Tushti), And Strength(Pusthi). Finally all puja complete in all rituals and take the blessing of Lakshmi Maa.

Today is "Nag panchami" festival.

Nag Panchami is a religious festival of Hindus on which people feed serpents or snakes with milk, kheer, and sweets. Snakes are believed to be the creature hailing from patal- lok which incarnated for the goodness and welfare of living things.

The Hindu festival celebrated on the fifth day of a bright half lunar month of the Hindu month Shravan. On the day of Nag Panchami puja, people wear new traditional saree, dress and worship snake by offering milk, sweet, kheer and lit the earthen lamp as well before the idol or statue of Nag devatas. Some people observe fast the entire day and feed Brahmans with full rituals. 

On this day people believed that the snakes live inside the womb of the earth and we could not harm while doing so. The unique attraction is in some places snake fair is held.