Utkala Brahmin - Festivals of Utkala Brahmins

Festivals of Utkala Brahmins

The main festival of the utkal Brahmins are Rath Yatra, Janmashtami Radhastami.Dol purnima, Rahasa Yatra, Durga Puja, Laxmi Puja, Saraswati Puja, Deepavali, Makar Sankranti, beside this Sitala Sasthi i. e. the marriage ceremony of Lord Shiva and the Champaka Dwadasi i. e. the marriage ceremony of Lord Gopinatha Krishna in month of Jyaistha. Maha Vishuva Sankranti, Nabanna, Chitalagi Amavasya, Jhulan Yatra, Devasnan purnima, Raja Parva, Gamha Purnima or Upakarma, Sudasha vrata, Savitri vrata, Manabasha Gurubar Pousha Purnima, Samba Dashami, Dwitibahana Osha, Kumar Purnima, Prathamastami,Mahalaya Pitrupakshya, Bijaya Chaturdasi, Shivaratri, Ashokastami, Rama Navami, Jaulei Panchami, Rekha Panchami,panchami.sasti etc. are observed in the villages throughout the yearwith utmost religious sanctity. On the day Gamha Purnima all the elderly persons of Sasan congregate and decide about the traditional share of the family called 'Pali' and 'Hakara' and resolve important problems of the Sasan villages. The 'bali' tradition or animal sacrifice still continues in many Sasan villages before the Village Goddess'Gramadevati' during Durga Puja. Fire work or Bana are also associated with the festivities. The "Sohala Sasana" or "Sixteen Brahmin Villages" around Puri are integreted in the Jagannath Temple culture in ritualistic way. On Pushyabhiseka or Debabhiseka day occurring onfullmoon day of 'Pausa' month or January, representatives of Sasan villages use to bless theGajapati king and worship Lord Jagannath. And on 'Sunia' day occurring in Bhadraba i. e. September, Sasan Brahmins use to congregate in the palace of the Gajapati king during thecelebration of commencement of the new Regnal Year. During sixteen days of Durga Puja the SasanBrahmins are associated with worshipping ofGoddess Bimala and other local Goddesses. OnRukmini vivaha or the Marriage ceremony ofLord Sri Krishna or Sri Jagannath, SasanBrahmins are also invited. On the 7th day of thedark fortnight of 'Karttika' month i. e. November, Sola Sasana Bhoga or a grand offering ofMahaprasada to Lord Jagannath is held in whichalmost Brahmins from every Sasan village take part.