KalingaTV News Network
Bhubaneswar: Raja fever has gripped entire Odisha with people from all ages celebrating the annual festival with great fervour and gaiety.
The four-day event marks the period of fertility regeneration of the earth, equivalent to menstrual cycle which a girl and woman undergo.
Raja is shorthand for the word Rajaswala (meaning a menstruating woman) and is celebrated across Odisha and Odias living outside. It signifies the menstrual cycle of the earth similar to that of a woman. Just like women go into a resting phase during “periods”, the earth is considered to be in a latent stage. This four-day resting period of the earth is when all agricultural activities are forbidden.
The first day is called Pahili Raja, the second day marks the advent of the month of Asadha and is commemorated by Mithuna Sankaranti, the third day is known as Basi Raja and the fourth day of Basumati Gadhua signifies the end of menstruation of the earth.
During the Raja celebration women wear new apparel, apply aalta on the feet, kumkum on the forehead, mehendi/henna on their palms and nail art for adornment of their nails.
Raja is characterized by the traditional swings. People put up different swings such as ‘Ram Doli’, ‘Charki Doli’, ‘Pata Doli’, ‘Dandi Doli’ and etc.
The famous Raja folk song – ବନସ୍ତେ ଡାକିଲା ଗଜ, ବରଷକେ ଥରେ ଆସିଛି ରଜ, ଆସିଛି ରଜ ଲୋ ଘେନି ନୂଆ ସଜବାଜ (Banaste dakila 
Gaja,barasake thare aasichhi Raja, asichi raja lo gheni nua sajabaja’ (meaning the Raja carnival has come with the pomp and pleasure of newness) – is sung in chorus as the swing goes to and fro.
Apart from swings, other different country games like “puchi khela” (a traditional game in which girls squat and twist themselves moving their entire body especially their hands, thighs and feet in a rhythmic manner), “kaudi khela” (a game of cowrie shells), ludo, passapali and etc. are played during the festive season.
Different traditional delicious cakes such as poda pitha, arisa pitha and chakuli pitha are being prepared and distributed among neighbours and relatives.
Raja is also the time when people relish the mouth-watering paan – popularly known as Raja paan.
Meanwhile, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan conveyed their greetings through twitter posts.
ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ଅନନ୍ୟ ସାଂସ୍କୃତିକ ପର୍ବ ରଜ ଉପଲକ୍ଷେ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ହାର୍ଦ୍ଦିକ ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ଓ ଅଭିନନ୍ଦନ। ଝିଅ ଓ ମହିଳାଙ୍କ ଦ୍ଵାରା ପାଳିତ ଆମ ସ୍ଵତନ୍ତ୍ର ପରମ୍ପରାର ପ୍ରତୀକ ଏହି ପର୍ବକୁ ଆନନ୍ଦ ଉଲ୍ଲାସରେ ପାଳନ କରନ୍ତୁ। ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ସୁଖ ଓ ସମୃଦ୍ଧି କାମନା କରୁଛି। pic.twitter.com/6xcJ5WmX47
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) June 14, 2018
ଓଡ଼ିଶାର କୃଷି ଅର୍ଥନୀତି ଓ ଯୁବପିଢି ସହ ଜଡିତ ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ଅନନ୍ୟ ରଜ ପର୍ବ ଅବସରରେ ହାର୍ଦ୍ଦିକ ଶୁଭକାମନା। pic.twitter.com/VNz4SvRdDz
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) June 14, 2018
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