Local traditions related to Sharadiya Durga Puja/Dussehra Durga Puja in Odisha

1 local traditions related sharadiya durga puja/dussehra

1.1 sword fighting , other martial arts
1.2 worship of sword , other traditional weapons
1.3 bhai jiuntia
1.4 gauri puja
1.5 chhatar jatra
1.6 biraja/viraja dussehra rath yatra
1.7 dussehra bullock race
1.8 jeypore dussehra mahotsav
1.9 gosani yatra of puri
1.10 cuttack
1.11 berhampur
1.12 maa tara tarini
1.13 balasore
1.14 bhadrak

local traditions related sharadiya durga puja/dussehra
sword fighting , other martial arts

traditional villages in state of odisha have own way of celebrating dussera. traditional sword fighting tournaments organised village associations (akharas) khandayats,dalua, banayats , paikas, , warrior class (kshatriyas). 1 of oldest traditions in village of kusupur, in odisha, has been kept alive more 1 hundred years kusupur dussera sabha, in unique.

worship of sword , other traditional weapons

the holy hindu scriptures testify on day rama killed ravana , victory celebrated. therefore, called vijaya dasami . (victorious tenth day). in odisha was, therefore, military festival. in villages agriculturists worship implements. khandayats or paikas bring out rusty swords, spears , other weaponry clean , worship. paika akhadas held in young men indulge in stylised military dances, displays of sword-fighting , various acrobatic stunts. people in general clean professional tools , instruments @ time, , clean, plaster , whitewash houses. beautiful flower-designs painted on both sides of doors.

bhai jiuntia

this known in region of western odisha. bhaijiutia feast celebrated on mahastami day of durga puja oriya women of western odisha , chhattisgarh. total fast women whole day , night seek goddess durga s blessing long life of bhais (brothers).

gauri puja

gauri puja, known hara-gauri puja , hara-parvati puja, observed young, unmarried girls, fast , pray suitable husband. in part of state idols of shiva , parvati installed, along idol of mahishamardini durga.

chhatar jatra

this festival observed during dussehra, in month of aswin, in town of bhawanipatna, district of kalahandi. festival dedicated maa manikeswari, presiding deity of region. lakhs of devotees odisha , adjoining chhattisgarh come pay homage during chatar jatra. after performing traditional sandhi puja in manikeswari temple on mahastami night, ceremonial chhatra of goddess manikeswari taken jenakhal, 3 kilometres town, secret rituals performed in hours of mahanavami. during return journey, thrilling beat of jena badya, nisan, , ghanta, deity accompanied dancers performing ghumura, traditional martial dance form. devotees follow deity , make offering token of fulfillment of wishes. devotees release hundreds of doves in name of deity during celebrations. @ main gate of temple, maharaja of kalahandi performs puja , receives chhatra priests, , takes inside temple. famous animal sacrifices.

biraja/viraja dussehra rath yatra

jajpur town has grown around temples. main temple of birajadevi or biraja temple. mounted on lion, carries spear 1 arm , holds tail of mahishasur other. festivals held @ durga puja , kali puja. jajpur hindu pilgrimage. 1 of 51 holy places , sati s navel fell. named after king jajati keshari. in course of time became jajpur. once capital of odisha. navi gaya found here inside temple. materials put in navi gaya supposed go samudra (a sea). annual car festival seen here during sharadiya durga puja in aswina month.

dussehra bullock race

hundreds of people throng chandrapada village in coastal odisha, watch traditional bullock race during dussehra/durgapuja. dussehra bullock race century old tradition, in @ least 50 bullocks village race against each other, decked in embroidered sheets , smeared vermilion , various paints. bullock owners pamper cattle year round , feed them sesame oil, green fodder , other high calorie food, animals can win annual competition. first villagers perform various rituals , serve food brahmins. once rituals over, villagers bathe bullocks , smear colours on them. after this, decorate them embroidered sheets embedded beads. once bullock ready, people toss live fish in front of it. after this, let bullock loose , start running. big feast organised bullock race ends.

jeypore dussehra mahotsav

the festival fervour here reminiscent of glorious past of erstwhile jeypore kingdom of south odisha. practice of villagers coming town carrying village deities has been attracting tourists in large numbers. countdown patuara , night procession on vijaya dashami has begun people eagerly waiting start procession king s palace, in village heads carry deities bring them dusherra ground demon mahishasur killed.

notes, found in diary of eminent palm leaf designer of jeypore kingdom, revealed glorious past of dussehra celebration here. diary, written in 1956, recovered in jeypore recently. describing festival spirit in days, had written splendour of 8 elephants , 20 horses leading procession, people beating huge drums, nagara, toori , birakahali, specially brought occasion. dussehra in jeypore not worshiping durga. festival occasion people reunite. people distant places, umerkote , nandapur, used visit jayapura , ancient name of jeypore. in earlier times celebrated 16 days. village heads invited , procession known lathi yatra . king used honour village heads. has had great effect on people, remained united.

gosani yatra of puri

janhikhai durga in puri in traditional kalinga attire

the jagannath puri, known of india, prepares welcome devi durga. in odisha people call gosani yatra. noteworthy co-worship of mahisamardini durga , madhava (lord jagannath) prevails 11th century, of ganga period, in puri. evident sculptures on temple walls i.e., pista of jagamohana of sun temple @ konark , on northern bedha of bhogamandapa of jagannath temple, in puri.

in these representations, sivalinga, mahisamardini durga , lord jagannath seen installed on pedestal , worshipped king. gosanis represent several aspects of mahisamardini durga @ puri, worshipped during durga puja festival.

the gosani yatra of puri has origin in folk culture. fact evident local folk names bear such kakudikhai, barabati, janhimundia, janhikhai, sunya gosani, panapriya, hadabai, gelabai, belabai etc. there several local traditions , legends behind names of gosanis. during gosani yatra, different types of clay figures of sampati bird along monkeys, ravana lifting kailash mountain, demons, ghosts, nagas, wooden toys etc. worshipped.

at puri, faces of gosani figures depicted in manner, gives impression devi closely watching mahisasura , engaged in fierce fighting. here, in case, both mahisasura , devi @ each other great concentration. evident straight eye contact between them, unlike images of kolkata , cuttack, face of devi depicted in profile.

another feature of gosani images of puri that, demon, in cases, depicted in theriomorphic form i.e., head of buffalo , body of human being.

the autumnal, or sharadiya ceremony, started in different parts of state @ different times. although dates same, traditions differ.

cuttack

the bejwelled devis in cuttack durgapuja

the city of cuttack socio-cultural center of state. earliest sarbojonin durga puja reportedly held in kazi bajaar area of city in 1832 both oriya , bengali employees of east india company. local people participated in festivities enthusiastically. however, due differences cropped later, oriyas decided organise puja on own. silver , gold jewellary clad durga seen in many lanes , pandals. pandal permanent throughout year in suburbs of cuttack, regular worship done divine mother, , idols made during dussehra time , immersed after that.

another opinion chaitanya deb mahaprabhu started pujas in 1505 ad, when visited cuttack, on way puri temple of lord jagannath. though may true, autumnal ceremony or akaal bodhon , people celebrate now, similar markandeya purana, , not codified in ancient hindu scriptures.

berhampur

the silk city berhampur commercial nerve centre of odisha, , 1 of prominent cultural centres of eastern india. 1 of religious epicenters of odisha , famous shakti cult. presence of adi shakti pith maa taratarini temple near berhampur, , other major shakti centers bhairavi, mahamayee, mohuri kalika, singhasini, upper bagh devi temple etc. proves traditions. city has carnival during durga puja , navaratri.the main ritual ayudha puja organised on mahanavami , vehicle puja on vijayadashami.one can find vehicles being decorated , wroshipped on morning of vijayadashami.the female folk observe fast on vijayadashami day , worship gauri maa on evening of vijayadashami.

maa tara tarini

the tara tarini shrine 1 of oldest pilgrimage centers of mother goddess , 1 of 4 major ancient shakti peethas in india. oldest , famous adi shakti pith situated on holy taratirini hill (purnagiri), @ distance of 30 km berhampur, in state of odisha, india. believed breast shrine (sthana pith) of adi shakti , originated limbs of corpse of mata sati.

the mythological texts recognize 4 major shakti peethas, i.e. [tara tarini] (stana khanda) near berhampur, vimala (pada khanda) inside jagannath temple (puri), kamakhya (yoni khanda) near guwahati , dakshina kali, kalighat (mukha khanda) in kolkata. apart these, there 52 other sacred shakti peethas, originated limbs of corpse of mata sati in satya yuga, present in indian sub-continent.

explaining importance of pith brihat samhita described prominent tara pith , gives geographical location of shrine. in sanskrit:

rushikulya tatae devi,
tarakashya mahagiri,
tashya srunga stitha tara,
vasishta rajitapara.

balasore

the madan das family of balasore started durga puja here. in 1845, das family celebrated first durga puja in town after maa durga appeared in dream , ordered herself so. durga puja celebrated in many parts of city of balasore. das family celebrated 171th puja year making 1 of oldest family pujas in state. preparations puja start month ago traditional artisan coming down das family s ancestral house (which more 250 years old) start building maa durga s idol. puja officially starts on mahashashthi maa durga being decorated traditional ornaments , saree. das family has tradition of offering bhog in special manner on mahaastami, wherein people in hundreds on city , nearby villages bring in offerings, accumulated in huge room , offered maa durga priests. durga puja ends on vijaydashmi submerging of maa durga s idol.

the durga puja celebrated full pomp , ceremony ghosh family. ghosh family has rich history of culture , still exists. ghosh family has shyamchand jewish temple , durga mandap within premises.

bhadrak

bhadrak seat of goddess bhadrakali, 1 of manifestations of shakti. durga puja linked ancient rituals connected goddess although autumnal ceremony started in 18th century.

--tajipur, bhadrak--

it s more 25 years, villagers of tajipur , near area celebrate durga puja. preparation puja started month before , rituals start day known anant brata.