Raja Parba in Odisha during the pandemic

Odisha as a state is known for a very high and diverse cultural heritage. Odisha celebrates multiple cultural and religious festivals all throughout the year. Since Odisha is highly influenced by the Jagannath culture, most of the festivals have the custom of eating together and hence almost all the festivals are celebrated in huge gatherings and processions. After the rise of the novel coronavirus, all sorts of gatherings and get-togethers have been stopped by the government, and safety precautions are being taken.

Figure 1: Manda Pitha made on the occasion of Raja Parba

Raja is one of the most popular amongst the festivals of Odisha. It is celebrated all over the state for four days in the month of June to celebrate womanhood and also to bring prosperity to agriculture fields. It also marks the onset of the monsoon. Raja is dedicated to the Earth Goddess and all agricultural practices are stopped during this period to give a rest to the Goddess. It is thought that the Goddess goes through her menstrual cycle around this period, and in order to respect Mother Earth's womanhood, certain things that may affect nature are prohibited, such as ploughing, plucking, and the cutting down of trees. The four days of the ‘parba’ or festival are celebrated with young girls dressing up in new dresses, playing on the swings, and enjoying a number of delicacies that are cooked in every Odia household on Raja. Odisha has specific dishes that are prepared for specific festivals and occasions. On the occasion of Raja Poda Pitha, Kakera Pitha, Puri tarkari, Dahi Bara, Raja Paan etc.

Figure 2: The various delicacies cooked in the Raja Parba (https://www.dailyhawker.com/travel/raja-parba-the-most-unique-festival-of-odisha-celebrating-womanhood/ )

The picture was taken from the article.

However, due to the pandemic situation, the Raja celebrations got affected to a large extent. In order to restrain the Raja celebrations, the State government sought the cooperation of citizens, and during the Raja period from 11 and 16 June, the administration of several districts prohibited gatherings. Doli (Swing), Mela, Mahotsavs, and Feasts were strictly banned. Even though people were permitted to go out shopping for the festival, strict precautions and guidelines were followed. Due to these restrictions, the festival celebrations were definitely affected but yet people did not refrain from cooking the various delicacies. These dishes were cooked in every household and were celebrated within the family with an equal amount of fun.

The food here played an important role as that is the only aspect that kept the excitement and the enthusiasm of the festival alive. We hope that the COVID 19 situation gets better and we get to celebrate Raja with the same fun and enjoyment soon next year.