DOLA
PURNIMA (HOLI) |
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Celebrated
In : Throughout Orissa |
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Falls in :
Falguna Purnima or
Phalgu1na (March) |
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According to
Puranic texts :
Basantotsaba or Spring Festival |
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Duration :
5 Days |
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A Multihued Festival
"Dola Purnima" or Holi is a popular festival in the
coastal districts of Orissa. It is the full-moon day in the month of Falguna.
Through the festival the spring is welcomed and enjoyed with mirth and
merriment. This festival has been referred to in the puranical texts as
"Basantotsaba" or the spring-festival. |
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Some scriptures testify that the "Madanotsaba",
the festival held in honour of 'Madana' or the Cupid was later transformed as
the "Dolatsaba" or swing-festival of Krishna. Therefore, Krishna is propitiated
on this occasion as "Madanamohana". Description of the festival as Dolatsaba
finds mention in a number of 'Puranas' and other Sanskrit texts. The 'Padma
Purana' says, "One is expiated of all sins, who gets a vision of Krishna
swaying in the swing." |
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Time For The Festivity
Though the festival of Holi is observed for a day with
mirth and merriment all over the country, the festival is celebrated for five
days in Orissa. It starts from the tenth day of the bright fortnight of the
month of Falguna known as "Fagu Dasami". Smearing the heads with 'Abira' (a
violet coloured powder) the people take round the idols of Madanamohana in
richly decorated palanquins known as "Veemana". |
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The Procession
The procession is led by village drummers, pipers and
the 'Sankirtana Mandalis'. The procession halts in front of each household and
the deity is offered 'Bhog'. The daily rounds of the deity for the four days
are called "Chachery". On the final day of the Purnima the celebration
culminates in a swing-festival for the deities. The idols carried in Veemanas
from a number of villages assemble in an important place where swings are fixed
on a platform. They are made to swing to the accompaniment of devotional music
sung in chorus. |
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In olden days the beginning of the New Year
was calculated from the spring-season. After the swinging festival of the
deities, the 'Ganaka' or 'Jyothisha' (astronomer-cum-fortune teller) reads out
the new Oriya almanac and narrates the important events that are to take place
during the year. For this reason, some are of opinion that this festival is
purely to celebrate the New Year. |
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The Legend
On the fourteenth day of the fortnight there is a
function in which a straw-hut is set to fire amidst much amusement and
excitement. This is known as "Holipoda" (burning of Holi). The legend about it
is that, 'Holika' was the most beautiful sister of 'Hiranyakashyapu', the
demon-king. As an ardent devotee of Shiva she got the boon that she would never
die of drowning or burning. |
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Inspite of all heinous attempts
Hiranyakashyapu couldn't kill his son 'Prahlada', the devotee of Vishnu Then he
planned to burn him to ashes. As Holika would never get burnt she was asked to
walk into the blazing fire with the child in her arms. Surprisingly the child
came out unhurt but Holika was burnt to death. Enraged at this Hiranya asked
Shiva about the inefficacy of His boon. Then Shiva replied, "I granted her the
boon to protect herself, not to kill anybody." |
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As a reminiscent to this, the Holipoda is
celebrated and the next day is the festival of colours 'Holi', in which people
smear colour powders on each other's face and head and squirt coloured waters.
There is much fun and merriment in the festival. |
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Mendhapodi
In some places the burning of the straw hut is known as
"Mendhapodi" or the burning of a ram. A legend attached to it says that a demon
known as 'Mesha' was causing terror in the Heaven and Earth, Gods as well as
human beings prayed Krishna to rescue them from his atrocities. Krishna killed
and burnt him to ashes. It is, therefore to reminiscent this event that a hut
is burnt which represents the abode of the demon. |
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Holi Fairs
In many places of the State big fairs are arranged where idols of the deity are
assembled. These fairs are called "Melana". The Veemanas of the surrounding
villages are placed in a row for public view. Keen competition is observed in
the decoration of the Veemanas. When all the expected Veemanas reach the place,
display of fire-works takes place and this is watched by thousands of
enthusiastic crowd.
In the fairs agricultural implements, commodities, household articles and
furniture are bought and sold. Such Melanas or fairs continue till the month of
Chaitra in different places of the district of Cuttack, Puri and Ganjam. |
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