Bhubaneswar: Happy Raja and Raja Parba are trending on Twitter with people extolling the ‘progressive’ Odisha, which celebrates menstruation and womanhood while embracing the first rains.
‘Raja’ is derived from the word ‘Rajaswala’ which means menstruating women.
It is believed that during this period Mother Earth menstruates and prepare herself for future agricultural activities with the arrival of the monsoon.
The festival is also synonymous with varieties of cakes (pithas) – Poda Pitha’, ‘Manda’, ‘Kakara’, ‘Arisha’ and ‘Chakuli’.
While the COVID-induced lockdown had put a stop to community celebration and swings, young girls in the state on Monday welcomed Pahili Raja by taking bath after anointing their bodies with turmeric paste and dressing up in their best attire. There will be games of cards and ludo and small swings at home.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended best wishes on the auspicious occasion of Raja Parba. “I pray for the good health and well-being of everyone,” he tweeted.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also greeted the people of Odisha on the occasion. He urged them to make this Raja special by observing the festival by adhering to COVID-19 guidelines and staying at home.
ଗଣପର୍ବ ରଜ ଅବସରରେ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ଆନ୍ତରିକ ଅଭିନନ୍ଦନ। ବସୁଧା, ପ୍ରକୃତି ଓ ନାରୀମାନଙ୍କ ମହନୀୟତାକୁ ସମ୍ମାନ ଜଣାଇବାର ଏହା ଆମର ଅନନ୍ୟ ପରମ୍ପରା। କୋଭିଡ ସଙ୍କଟ ସମୟରେ ପରିବାର ଲୋକଙ୍କ ସହ ଘରେ ରହି ଏହାକୁ ପାଳନ କରନ୍ତୁ। ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ସଚେତନତା ଓ ସହଯୋଗ, କୋଭିଡ ଯୁଦ୍ଧରେ ଆମକୁ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ବିଜୟୀ କରିବ। pic.twitter.com/V2b9Ov0UFt
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) June 14, 2021
Artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has also shared a sand art of his to celebrate the three-day festival
On the occasion of #RajaParba a three day festival to celebrate the womanhood of mother earth. I am sharing one of my SandArt . #HappyRajaParba #Odiaparba pic.twitter.com/HLvB9QXfzU
— Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) June 14, 2021
Congress MP Naveen Jindal also greeted the people of Odisha on this unique three-day festival.
ଧରିତ୍ରୀ ମାତା କଂ ଆଶୀର୍ବାଦ ପାଇଁ ପବିତ୍ର ରଜ ମହୋତ୍ସବ ଉପଲକ୍ଷେ ସମସ୍ତ ଓଡିଶାବାସୀ କୁଂ ମୋର ହାର୍ଦ୍ଦିକ ଶୁଭେଛା ଏବଂ ଅଭିନନ୍ଦନ.
Greetings to the people of Odisha on #RajaParba, the unique 3day festival celebrating the nourishing touch of Monsoon & gratitude to Mother Earth?
Happy Raja! pic.twitter.com/NphRqOKa1M
— Naveen Jindal (@MPNaveenJindal) June 14, 2021
And this is how Twitterati feel about the festival:
While most of the Indians find it hard to locate Odisha on the map but it is the only state that celebrates Menstruation. This speaks volumes about the maturity of us Odias #RajaParba
— Aryan Mohanty (@AryanMo60374060) June 14, 2021
The three days festivities began with this mandatory Poda pitha(ପୋଡ ପିଠା)
ପହିଲି ରଜ ଉପଲକ୍ଷେ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ଅଭିନନ୍ଦନ!#ରଜପର୍ବ #RajaParba #Raja2021 @BBSRBuzz pic.twitter.com/bXB323ucDX
— Ipsita Mahapatra (@ipsitamahapatr3) June 14, 2021
Raja…wat we called Ganaparba..yes it is…..Bt most important One that talks, how we love our Mother Earth and most importantly how we respect Womanhood. So cheers to womanhood….Happy pahili raja ?
— Rajashree sahoo (@Rajashree_1208) June 14, 2021
Poda pitha from Odias to the world. Eat, pray, swing. Love, celebrate, respect women. Hang in there in these miserable times. #RajaParba pic.twitter.com/N1rk05bwLv
— Genie (@ippusultan) June 14, 2021
Those who think women are impure during their periods should see how Odisha celebrates the biological cycle of a woman #Raja
Happy Raja to all my Odia friends. Doll up and enjoy the festivities ? pic.twitter.com/iRcAXWkMEa
— Sheetal Mishra ? (@itssitu) June 14, 2021
After three days of celebration, Mother Earth is cleansed and with that The Raja festival is over but let’s not forget the lesson. Break the taboo, celebrate womanhood, Raise awareness, Bleed Red. pic.twitter.com/DaZyBTYr6v
— ଅଭିଜିତ୍ ଶ୍ରୀକୁମାର (@AbhijitSrikumar) June 17, 2020
“ଗୋଟେ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଝିଅକୁ ରଜ ସେଲିବ୍ରେଟ କରିବାରୁ କେହି ଅଟକେଇ ପାରିବେନି।” ନୂଆ ଶାଢ଼ୀ ପିନ୍ଧି ସଜବାଜ ହୋଇ ନିଜ ଘରର ପୋର୍ଟିକୋରେ ଲାଗିଥିବା ଦୋଳିରେ ବସି ଜଣେ ଯୁବତୀଙ୍କୁ ଏହା କହୁଥିବା ଶୁଣିଲି। ଭଲ ଲାଗିଲା। #RajaParba #ରଜପର୍ବ #ରଜ #Rajafestival #Raja2021 #Odisha #Odia #ଓଡ଼ିଶା_ରାଜ୍ୟବାସୀ pic.twitter.com/Nmd5XQIbMN
— Anand ST Das (@anandstdas) June 14, 2021
Happy RajaParba to all ???? https://t.co/tBTZ54Z2h0 pic.twitter.com/7EZXYftEsu
— Vani Madhav (@VaniMadhav72) June 14, 2021
This three days festival comes in a year with lots of happiness. It is One of long-run festival of Odisha observed mostly in Coastal regions. Wish you all a splendid, happy Rajaparba. #HappyRaja @rupin1992 @ipsvijrk @sanjita1609 @Bhuvan_Bam pic.twitter.com/oKnxK4KeFf
— Kumar Akshay (@akpatra82) June 14, 2021
One festival that we have been celebrating for ages now… that talks about how we love our nature, how we love our Mother Earth and most importantly how we respect Womanhood. Happy #RajaParba to all my friends pic.twitter.com/EA8nwPrLdD
— Jack Daniel (@Italysehun) June 14, 2021
And the debate on whether to spell it as Raja or Rajo continues…
When someone write Raja as Rojo/Rajo.#HappyRaja#ରଜପର୍ବ
Me pic.twitter.com/fbHywWnAJr— ?ରାକେଶ କଳିଙ୍ଗ ପୁତ୍ର? (@Rakeshkumarray8) June 14, 2021
