Bhubaneswar: Dola Purnima, a popular Hindu festival, is celebrated on a full moon day in the month of Falguna (March) marking the onset of spring. It goes on for six days, beginning with the famous Dola Jatra, which falls on Falguna Dasami Day.
This colourful festival is a unique blend of devotion, tradition, and cultural exuberance, deeply rooted in Odisha’s rich culture and heritage.
Dola Jatra
The festivities begin with ceremonial processions of deities, including Lord Krishna and Radha. During Dola Jatra, the idols of Lord Krishna and Radha are carried to all the homes in the village on a decorated Vimana (palanquin) in a procession with Sankirtan Mandali, drummers, singers and musicians.
Each household in the village offers Bhog to Lord Krishna. The people who follow the procession play with Abira (dry colours).
The six-day Dola Jatra concludes on Dola Purnima. On the final day of the Purnima, the celebration culminates with a swing-festival for the deities.
Dola Purnima
The highlight of the festival is Dola Melana, a grand gathering of deities from various villages. Dola Purnima marks the end of a six-day swing festival of Radha and Lord Krishna. On Dola Purnima, the idols carried in palanquins from many villages assemble at one place called Melana Padia. All the swings are fixed on one platform. The procession is led by village drummers, pipers and the
‘Sankirtana Mandalis’
In mythology, this festival has been referred to as ‘Basantotsaba’ or the spring-festival. Some scriptures testify that ‘Madanotsaba’, the festival held in honour of ‘Madana’ or Cupid, was later transformed to “Dolatsaba” or swing-festival of Krishna.
This festival marks the onset of spring and is celebrated with fervour.
Celebration at Puri Jagannath Temple
Lord Jagannath is worshipped as Dola Govinda or Krishna during this festival. On the auspicious occasion, the sibling deities are decked up in Sunabesha seated on the Ratna Singhasan. The representative idols of the deities – Gobinda, Bhudevi and Sridevi – will be carried on Dola Vimanas (specially decorated palanquins) to Dola Mandap (alter) on the occasion. The deities and servitors then play Holi by smearing colours on each other, keeping with the tradition.
History
There was a demon king, Hiranyakashyap. He was so egoistic that he commanded everybody in his kingdom to worship him.
But his son Prahlad became an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu and refused to worship his father. Hiranyakashyap tried several ways to kill his son but Lord Vishnu saved him every time. Finally, he asked his sister, Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap.
Hiranyakashyap knew that Holika had a boon, whereby, she could enter the fire unscathed.
Holika had to pay the price of his sinister plan with her life. She was not aware that the boon worked only when she entered the fire alone. Prahlad, who kept chanting Vishnu Nama all this while, came out unharmed, as the Lord blessed him for his extreme devotion.
Thus, Holi derives its name from Holika and is celebrated as a festival of victory of good over evil.
