Raja Parba, also popularly known as Mithuna Sankranti, is a three-day-long Hindu festival that celebrates womanhood. The festival is dedicated to Bhuma Devi, the wife of Lord Vishnu, and is celebrated with great fanfare in the Indian state of Odisha. What Is Raja Parba, Yearly Menstruating Time for the Goddess Earth? Know More About Odisha’s Unique Festival Celebrating Womanhood.

Raja Parba is one of the most popular festivals of the state of Odisha, it is dedicated to Bhuma Devi or Bhudevi. The festival is celebrated for three consecutive days, where the festivities begin a day before Mithun Sankranti and end two days after that. This year, Raja Parba 2023 will be celebrated from June 14 until June 16. The first day is called Pahili Raja, the second day is called Mithuna Sankranti, and the third day is Bhudaaha or Basi Raja. The second day of the festival signifies the beginning of the solar month of Mithuna, where the rainy season starts. Scroll down to learn more about Raja Parba 2023 date, history and significance related to the festival.

Raja Parba 2023 Date

Raja Parba 2023 will be celebrated from June 14 until June 16.

Raja Parba History

The history of the Raja Parba festival is deeply rooted in Odisha’s culture. It is believed that the mother Goddess Earth (the divine wife of Lord Vishnu) undergoes menstruation during the first three days. The fourth day is called Vasumati Snana, or the ceremonial bath of Bhudevi. The term Raja came from the Sanskrit word Rajas, which means menstruation. When a woman menstruated, she was called Rajaswala. The festival became popular in medieval times and was marked as an agricultural holiday marking the worship of Bhudevi, the wife of lord Jagannath. A silver idol of Bhudevi is still to be found in the Puri Temple beside Lord Jagannath. Here's All You Need To Know About Raja Parba.

To celebrate the advent of the monsoon, the joyous festival is celebrated for three days with great enthusiasm by the villagers in Odisha. The first day is called Pahili Raja, the second is Raja Sankranti, and the third is Bhumi Dahana or Basi Raja.

Raja Parba Significance

The three-day Raja Parba festival falls in mid-June every year. The day before the first day is called Sajabaja or preparatory day, during which the house, kitchen and grinding stones are cleaned. The first day is called Pahili Raja, the second day is Mithuna Sankranti, and the third day is Bhudaaha or Basi Raja. The final fourth day is called Basumati snana, in which the ladies bathe the grinding stone as a symbol of Bhumi with turmeric paste and adore with flowers, sindoor etc. All types of seasonal fruits are offered to Mother Bhumi. During all three days, women are seen in the best dresses, enjoying themselves, visiting the houses of friends and relatives, singing songs and so on.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 10, 2023 02:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).