In Orissa one finds a lot of fairs and festivals. There is a saying in the language that although the number of months in calendar is twelve, the number of festivals is thirteen. Of course some of these festivals are common throughout the country, but others are typically Orissan in origin and nature.
Raja is one of the typical Oriya festivals. Its special significance is that it is a native agricultural festival which has no religious or sectarian background. As the term implies, it is believed, this festival celebrates the period when the mother earth remains in state of fertility and becomes physically ready to receive seeds for procreation. According to the agricultural calendar of Orissa, during spring and summer the land is ploughed, manured and kept ready for sowing in the beginning of the rainy season. Hence, the festival of Raja is synchronized with the advent of rainy season which traditionally begins from the first day of the month of Asadha.
Raja is celebrated for a period of five days. Each day has specific name according to its significance. The first day is called Sajabaja or the day of preparations. Elders go for marketing, young men prepare their playground and help the girls in fixing up swings and the ladies remain busy cooking and storing food for the next day. The second day is called Pahili Raja, the inaugural day of the festival. The third day being the first day of Asadha is known as Raja Sankranti and the fourth day is called Bhuin Naana which implies that on this day it is forbidden to hurt the mother earth in any manner. The fifth and the final day is known as Basumati Snana or the bathing ceremony of the mother earth. In the early hours of the morning that day a portion of courtyard is cleaned and washed. Then some paddy and a grinding pestle are placed and these are worshipped by offering flower and burning incense. It seems that the club-shaped pestle is kept there as a symbol of phallus. After this ceremony is over people begin their agricultural operation in the field.
The main features of the Raja festival are feasting, playing and visiting friends. In every house varieties of cakes and many other delicacies are prepared. Everywhere one receives great hospitality. As it is forbidden to cook on Pahili Raja and Bhuin Naana days, with the double purpose of giving rest to the housewives and not to hurt mother earth with heat of oven, everything is cooked and preserved from the previous night. During the festival everyone enjoys a complete holiday. Male folk enjoy their time in playing cards, Chess and Kabadi. Women put on their best dresses and ornaments and move in company visiting friends from house to house.
However, the girls have a larger share of fun. They treat themselves very differently during the festival as they symbolically represent the mother earth in her beauty and fertility. They do not even touch the earth bare foot. Clad in picturesque saris and hand made slippers of indigenous stuff, they are seen enjoying themselves in the clusters of their own society. Mostly, they flock together around the swings hung from the high branches of trees in the backyards. There they swing in turns and fill the air with the sweet music of the traditional Doli Geeta of song of the swing:
Banaste dakila Gaja
BBarasake thare asichhi Raja
BAsichhi Raja - lo nei nua sajabaja.
An elephant calls in deep forest, after a year Raja has come, the Raja has come with new costumes and festivities.
Raja is really a festival of masses. Everyone rich and poor – irrespective of caste and creed – participates in the festivity and the whole society rocks and rolls with the spirit of the season. It is a May-day of the workers and peasants and heyday for everyone.
