Festivals of Orissa
Shiv Ratri :
All over India, Maha Shivratri occurs on the 14th night of the new moon during
the dark half of the month of Phalguna. On a moonless night in February every
year, occurs the night of Shiva, the destroyer. This is the night when He is
said to have performed the
Tandava or the dance of primordial creation,
preservation and destruction.
Devotees of Shiva fast during the day and maintain a long vigil during the night.
In temples all across the country, bells ring, sacred texts are chanted and
traditional offerings of leaves and milk are made to the Shiv
lingam,
the phallic symbol of the god. There is a legend behind Shiva's phallic form.
It is believed that once Brahma and Vishnu, the two pillars of the holy Trinity
were having an argument as to who was supreme. Brahma declared himself to be
the Creator of all and thus more revered. Vishnu claimed that since he was the
Creator and the Destroyer, he commanded more respect. At that moment a huge
lingam ablaze with flames appeared from nowhere. Both the gods were so
overwhelmed by its constantly increasing size, that they forgot their quarrel
and decided to determine its size. Vishnu took the form of a boar and went to
the netherworld while Brahma in the form of a swan ascended to the skies. Neither
could ascertain the size. Just then, Shiva appeared out of the
lingam
and proclaimed that he was the progenitor of both of them. He was the Creator,
Preserver and the Destroyer. He demanded that thereafter he be worshipped in
his phallic form, the
lingam.
On the day of Shivratri, the
lingam is bathed with the five sacred offerings
of a cow, called the
panchagavya - milk, sour milk, urine, butter and
dung. Thereafter the five foods of immortality - milk, clarified butter, curd,
honey and sugar - are placed before the
lingam.
Dhatura and
jati,
though poisonous fruits, are believed to be sacred to Shiva and thus offered
at his temple. Eleven is considered to be the sacred number of the Lord. Devotees
keep a fast (vrat) on Shivratri and observe strict rules, for
vardan
(boon).
Special celebrations are held at important Shiva temples at Chidambaram, Kalahasi,
Khajuraho and Varanasi. Worship of Shiva is to release the worshipper from the
cycle of birth and rebirth. In Kashmir, the festival is held for 15 days; the
thirteenth day is observed as
Herath, a day of fast followed by a family
feast.
Rath Yatra :
At the temple town of Puri in Orissa, the image of the god Krishna (known as
Jagannath in the State) is taken out with great ceremony in June-July each year.
Images of the god and his brother Balbhadra and sister Subhadra are placed in
giant large yellow chariots or raths which are then drawn by pilgrims.
The chariots are 45 feet high and have 6 wheels. The procession or rath yatra
draws huge crowds from all over the country. An atmosphere of almost hysterical
devotion prevails on this day and in earlier years, devotees were known to have
thrown themselves under the wheels of the rath in the hope of obtaining instant
salvation.
