Bhubaneswar: As the Sun enters the sign of Aries, Odisha plunges into a festive mood celebrating Maha Bisuba Sankranti or Mesha Sankranti. It marks the end of spring and the beginning of summer.
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Chief Minister of Odisha Mohan Majhi and Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly Naveen Patnaik have wished the people of the state on this auspicious occasion.
ପବିତ୍ର ଓଡ଼ିଆ ନବବର୍ଷ, ପଣା ସଂକ୍ରାନ୍ତି ବା ମହାବିଷୁବ ସଂକ୍ରାନ୍ତି ଉପଲକ୍ଷେ ମୁଁ ଓଡ଼ିଶାବାସୀ ତଥା ଦେଶବିଦେଶରେ ରହୁଥିବା ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଭାଇଭଉଣୀମାନଙ୍କୁ ଆନ୍ତରିକ ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ଜଣାଉଛି । ପଣା ସଂକ୍ରାନ୍ତି ଆମ ସମାଜକୁ ପ୍ରେମ ଓ ଶାନ୍ତିର ବାର୍ତ୍ତା ଦେଇଥାଏ । ଆନନ୍ଦ ଉଲ୍ଲାସର ଏହି ପର୍ବ ଆମକୁ ଆମ ଦେଶ ପାଇଁ ସମର୍ପିତ ହୋଇ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ କରିବାକୁ…
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) April 14, 2025
Best wishes on the Odia New Year! pic.twitter.com/87UvVNsIBd
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 14, 2025
Heartiest wishes to my sisters and brothers of Odisha on the occasion of Maha Vishuba Sankranti. At the advent of the Odia New Year, may Mahaprabhu shower blessings of joy, well-being and affluence on all.
ମହାବିଷୁବ ସଂକ୍ରାନ୍ତି ଅବସରରେ ମୋର ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ଭଉଣୀ ଏବଂ ଭାଇମାନଙ୍କୁ ହାର୍ଦ୍ଦିକ… pic.twitter.com/edGenwr1bH
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 14, 2025
ପବିତ୍ର ମହା ବିଷୁବ ସଂକ୍ରାନ୍ତି ତଥା ଓଡ଼ିଆ ନବ ବର୍ଷ ଉପଲକ୍ଷେ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ହାର୍ଦ୍ଦିକ ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ଓ ଅଭିନନ୍ଦନ। ମହାପ୍ରଭୁ ଶ୍ରୀ ଜଗନ୍ନାଥଙ୍କ କୃପାରୁ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ଜୀବନ ମଙ୍ଗଳମୟ ହେଉ। #OdiaNewYear #PanaSankranti #ଓଡ଼ିଆ_ନବବର୍ଷ pic.twitter.com/40aaMHrqeI
— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) April 14, 2025
ପବିତ୍ର ମହାବିଷୁବ ସଂକ୍ରାନ୍ତି, ହନୁମାନ ଜୟନ୍ତୀ ତଥା ଓଡ଼ିଆ ନୂଆ ବର୍ଷ ଅବସରରେ ସମ୍ବଲପୁର ସ୍ଥିତ ହନୁମାନ ମନ୍ଦିରରେ ଦର୍ଶନ କରିବା ସହ ପୂଜାର୍ଚ୍ଚନା କରିବାର ସୌଭାଗ୍ୟ ଲାଭ କଲି । ପ୍ରଭୁଙ୍କ ପାଖରେ ଜଗତର କଲ୍ୟାଣ କାମନା କରୁଛି ।
ଜୟ ଜୟ ବଜରଙ୍ଗବଲୀ 🙏 pic.twitter.com/6YPPszxpas
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) April 14, 2025
ପବିତ୍ର ମହାବିଷୁବ ସଂକ୍ରାନ୍ତି ତଥା ଓଡ଼ିଆ ନୂଆ ବର୍ଷର ଆନ୍ତରିକ ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ଜଣାଉଛି। ବନ୍ଦେ ଉତ୍କଳ ଜନନୀ 🙏#PanaSankranti #OdiaNewYear pic.twitter.com/oQaR0EEfAs
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) April 14, 2025
On this day, special rituals are observed at Jagannath Temple in Puri and the newly-prepared almanac is read before the sibling deities. People fast and offer prayers in temples along with Pana, food and cloth. This concoction of water, jaggery, yoghurt and a mixture of spices is also believed to have cooling properties. Special offerings are made to Shalagram, Shivalinga, Hanuman, and other deities. A small perforated pot filled with Pana or a sweet drink of Mishri and water is hung over a Tulsi (basil) plant. The flour of horse gram chhatua, along with banana and curd, is consumed by the people after offering it to the Tulsi plant.
The festivities do not end here. Devi Pithas like Cuttack Chandi, Biraja, Samaleswari Temple and Sarala remain chock-a-block with devotees, attending Jhamu Yatra (fire walks).
People observing Jhamu Brata are called Patua or holy devotee. They end their brata by walking barefoot on burning charcoal as a part of their penance and to express gratitude to the goddess for having fulfilled their wishes.
In North Odisha it is observed as Chadak Parva and in the South, the day is celebrated as the end of month-long Danda Nata, and the closing ceremony is known as Meru Yatra.
The participants of Danda Nata are usually called Dandua and the chief as Pata Dandua, who move from village to village performing to sounds of drums, cymbals and conch shells, while inflicting pain to self. They pierce iron nails on their back, make snakes sting their bodies, walk on fire and sharp swords, to appease Shiva.
Maha Bisuba Sankranti is similar to New Year festivals like Baisakhi (Punjab), Bihu (Assam), Maithili New Year, Naba Barsha or Poila Boishakh (Bengal), Vishu (Kerala) and Puthandu (Tamil Nadu).
Relish chhatua and Pana, while beginning a new cycle of life!
