Know The Significance Of Pana Sankranti; How & Where to Celebrate

Jan 14, 2024

Pana Sankranti is the traditional new year festival day of Odia people in Odisha. It is also known as Maha Bishuba Sankranti. The Odia people on this day visit temples, especially Hanuman temples, as it is the birthday of Lord Hanuman too. Find the detailed information on Vishuba Sankranti below:

The day symbolizes the arrival of a new year by offering prayers to God and Goddesses and by fulfilling some unique traditions. Pana Sankranti is celebrated with visits to Shiva, Shakti, and Hanuman temples. People take baths in major pilgrimage centers. Feasts and special drink Pana is prepared.

The Odia new year is usually celebrated on 14th or 15th of April, every year. It is similar to the other new year festivals of India like the Baisakhi, Puthandu, Pohela Boishakh etc.

This festivals marks the beginning of summer. The new year festivals all over India are a visual sensation. Be it Baisakhi or Vishu or Pohela Boishkah or Puthandu, the enthusiasm and fervour of the people throughout the country remains same. These festivals are actually harvest festivals which is celebrated with great joy, welcoming a new year and a new season.

The Pana Sankranti is accepted to be the birthday of the Hindu God Hanuman, whose most loving devotion Rama (seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu) in Ramayana is traditional. His temples, along with those of Lord Shiva and Surya are admired in the new year.

Hindus also visit the Goddess Devi temple on Pana Sankranti to seek blessings. The temples include Tara Tarini temple in Ganjam, Cuttack Chandi in Cuttack, Biraja temple in Jajpur, Samaleswari temple in Sambalpur, and Sarala temple in Jagatsinghpur. The priests or Devotees who have some wish or desire to fulfill walk on hot coals at Sarala Temple in the Jhaamu Yatra, the fire walking festival. At the Maa Patana Mangala temple in Bhadrak, the Patana Yatra festival is held from 14 April to 21 April. Pana Sankranti is known as Chadak Parva in northern Odisha.

The Meru Yatra festival is celebrated at the end of the month- the Danda Nata dance festival in Southern Odisha. Thousands of devotees gather at the Shakti Pitha holy place in the Tara Tarini temple because it is one of the auspicious days during the Chaitra Yatra.

The significance of the day is that the New Odia Calendar or Panjika is also introduced which is a yearbook of Hindu festivals and contains the dates of festivals, auspicious days, and timings of sunrise and sunset along with horoscopes for the year.

Bela Pana

People from all over the state eat Chhatua and drink Bela Pana to remark the occasion. The Bela Pana is prepared with Bael, milk, Chhena, fruits, Cashews, Coconut, Yoghurt, sugar or jaggery, spices such as Black pepper Powder, and ginger.

Basundhari Theki

Basundhari Theki is an important ritual observed during Pana Sankranti. A framework is constructed of Caster branches, Coconut leaves, or banana stem over the Tulsi plant near Chaunra. It provides shade by using leaves from the branches. A small earthen pot is hung over the holy basil plant which is known as Theki.

A small hole is made at the end of the pot or Theki and is placed at the top of the basil plant. The prepared Bela Pana is used as Bhoga and is poured into the earthen pot and a Kusha (holy grass) is inserted at the end of the pot so that the Pana keeps dripping on the plant. The pot is refilled with water or Bela Pana throughout the month.

How is Maha Vishuba Sankranti Celebrated and Where to Go

Across Orissa, this festival is celebrated with great reverence and enthusiasm. People visit pilgrimage places and temples, take a bath in rivers and make special offerings to their deities. Many places have fairs or melas, where people get to enjoy themselves with families and see dance and singing performances.

These fairs have stalls of food, traditional crafts, and other products. On the streets, too many local artists perform street dances or do acrobatic performances. The day's main attraction is a social celebration where people walk or sprint on burning coal. It is known as the coal walk, and many volunteers participate. To cheer them, numerous people gather. Many places and temples are known for their Maha Vishuba Sankranti celebrations. The following places are worth visiting during Maha Vishuba Sankranti:

1) Brahmapur- The Taratarini Temple is near Brahmapur and is popular for its Maha Vishuba Sankranti celebrations and its Shakti Pitha shrine. Numerous devout visit it to seek blessings from the goddess. A fair is organized near the temple, which the devotees enjoy after worship.

2) Cuttack- People visit temples, offer prayers, and feast with their families. There is a Jhaamu Yatra in the Devi temple, and many people from across Orissa come to see the procession. There is much poetry, and other literary functions also organized on this day.

3) Chhatrapada, Bhadrak- The Maa Patana Mangala Temple has an annual Patau Yatra festival. Several devotees gather to seek blessings from the Devi or Goddess and witness this festival.

4) Chandanewar, Baleswar- Numerous devotees visit the Shiva temple here. There is an annual fair held on the premises. Many pilgrims from outside Orissa too visit to seek blessings during this period.

5) Sarala- The Sarala Temple is known for the fire walk done by the priests of the temple. It is called the Jhaanu yatra or the fire-walking festival.

To take part in Maha Vishuba Sankranti 2023 festivities and explore these temples and places, use redBus to book your online bus tickets. You can use the redBus India portal or the mobile application for convenient ticket booking. With redBus, travel to these places with ease and comfort and participate in Maha Vishuba Sankranti festivities.