Popular Festivals of Odisha(2023)

Every corner of our beloved India will hope you have a great time during festivals. India is famous for its lively culture, special traditions, the joy of celebrating, and delicious food. And this is exactly what defines India – the land of festivals. Orrisa is a part of India where festivals bring happiness to people’s lives. Since Orrisa is home to different religions and tribes, you’ll see many festivals celebrated by its people all year round.

Here is the list of the most famous Popular Festivals of Odisha that this coastal state is famous for:

Puri Rath Yatra: Popular Festivals of Odisha

The Puri Rath Yatra is a very famous Festival of Odisha. It’s all about big chariots that carry the gods Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Balabhadra. This festival is celebrated by Hindus and is the biggest one in Odisha. It’s been happening for a really long time, even longer than similar festivals in other places. Each year, in either June or July, this festival takes place. It’s a special time in the traditional Oriya calendar. People think it’s really lucky to visit the temple during this time. The festival goes on for nine days. It starts with the Rath Yatra, where the gods’ chariots begin their journey, and ends on the ninth day with the Bahuda Jatra, when they return. On their way back during the Bahuda Jatra, the chariots stop at a temple called Mausi Maa. There, Lord Jagannath gets a special treat called Poda Pitha, which is a type of cake that’s meant for poor people. As part of this festival, the gods are taken from their temple to another temple called Gundicha Temple in a big procession. Time of Celebration– June or July

Durga Pooja

Durga Puja is a big festival in Odisha. People celebrate it all over the state. It happens in the months of September or October. The streets are bright with lights, and special tents called Pandals are put up to make everyone feel festive. There are big statues of Goddess Durga, along with Goddess Laxmi and Goddess Saraswati. These statues are kept really nicely in the Pandals. People sing special songs and say prayers in the morning and evening during the festival. Durga Puja lasts for about three to four days in Odisha. It’s a very important and special time for Hindu devotees. Time of celebration– In the month of September or October.

Chandan Yatra

Also called the Gandhalepana Yatra, it’s the longest festival in Orissa, celebrated at the Jagannath temple in Puri. This 42-day festival involves worshipping the temple’s deities using water mixed with sandalwood. The deities are taken out of the temple and placed in special boats called ‘Chapa,’ which look like beautiful swans floating in water due to their red and white decorations. The festival concludes at the Vishnu or Shiva temples in Puri. Many pilgrims gather to join in the celebration of this grand festival in Orissa. Time of Celebration -April and May

Naukhai

Nuakhai is a well-known farming festival celebrated by the folks of Western Odisha. This festival is all about welcoming the new rice of the year. It’s a big deal in Odisha, especially in Western Odisha and nearby places. The name “Nuakhai” comes from two words: “nua” which means new, and “khai” which means food. So, it’s about celebrating the new crops that farmers gather as they begin harvesting. Lately, even people from Odisha living in other parts of the country celebrate this festival. Time of celebration– The festival is observed one day after the Ganesh Chaturthi every year (August or September)

Raja Parba

Raja Parba is a four-day festival loved by people all across Orrisa. This festival has two main reasons: first, to make the farms better, and second, to honor women. It’s all about celebrating the Earth Goddess, Basu-Mata. During these four days, farmers take a break from their work to let the Goddess rest. It’s like she’s having her own special time, just like women do. People don’t do things like plowing, picking crops, or cutting trees because they want to be kind to nature and show respect to Mother Earth. Time of celebration– June or July

Konark Dance Festival

This festival is all about appreciating the stunning Konark Sun Temple and the graceful Odissi dance. It doesn’t matter which religion or customs you follow – everyone can enjoy it. The festival is a way to honor the ancient beauty of the Konark Temple. When the sun goes down, the temple lights up and looks incredibly colorful. The Konark Dance Festival happens at the Konark Natya Mandap in Konark and is put together by a talented Odissi dancer named Gangadhar Pradhan and his Odisha Dance Academy. Lots of famous classical dancers come to be a part of this big celebration, and people from all over the world love to enjoy it too. Time of Celebration – December 1 to December 5.

Makar Mela

Makar Sankranti or Makar Mela is a famous festival in northern Orrisa. It happens when the Sun moves into the Capricorn part of the sky. By this time, people have finished harvesting new rice and sugarcane crops. On this special day, the folks in Orissa pray to the Sun God and give food to wish for good health and a happy life. Time of celebration– Month of January

Puri Beach Festival

The Puri Beach Festival happens every year in November and lasts for around five days. It takes place on Puri Beach. During this festival, there are lots of things to enjoy like cultural performances, fashion shows, yummy food, and exciting adventure sports. It’s a great time to celebrate and have fun. The festival shows off the special traditions of Orissa and many people from different parts of India come to see it. The Puri Beach Festival is a well-known celebration on the Puri seashore. Time of celebration– Month of November

Magha Saptmi

One of the biggest and most loved festivals at Konark Temple is Magha Saptmi. Many people come to the Bay of Bengal’s shore on this day to pray to the sea. People take a special dip in the sea at Chandrabhaga Beach and say their prayers while watching the Sun rise. This festival also starts a big fair at Khandagiri near Bhubaneswar that goes on for a week. People in Orissa feel very festive because of the celebrations at the Bay of Bengal’s shore and the gifts given to the Sun temple. Time of celebration- In the month of February

Kalinga Mahotsav 

Odisha has a long history and a special culture. It used to be a powerful place called Kalinga. Every January and February, there’s a famous festival in Odisha called the Kalinga festival or Kalinga Mahotsava. It shows different traditional dances, music, and fighting styles. A long time ago, people from Odisha were like kings in Malaysia and other countries because they went there and even controlled parts of Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. Odisha has many different groups of tribal people. After the big Kalinga war, Odisha became known around the world. This is one of the main reasons for the Kalinga Mahotsava festival. The festival happens near a city called Bhubaneswar and is at the same time as another festival called the Dhauli festival. This Dhauli festival has famous dance and music from Konark. It started around 13 years ago with the help of Guru Gangadhar Pradhan. The Kalinga Mahotsava festival was started by a famous dancer named Ileana Citaristi, who lives in Bhubaneswar. It’s all about different martial arts and is held near a famous Japanese temple on the Dhauli hills. The story says that after a really big war in Kalinga, King Ashoka wanted peace. So, this festival is a way to show how important peace is and how it’s better than war. People from all over India who know martial arts come here to show their best skills. The mix of martial arts, dance, and music is amazing to watch. They even show skills with swords and sticks. If you want to know more about Odisha’s rich culture, you should definitely visit these festivals.

Joranda Mela 

The Joranda Mela is a famous fair in Odisha, India. People also call it Magha Mela and Mahima Mela. It happens in Joranda, which is in the Dhenkanal district of Odisha. This fair is held every year on the full moon day of a month called Magha in the Hindu calendar. This usually falls in January or February. During the fair, lots of people like Mahima Sanyasis (who are like monks), devotees, and pilgrims come to Joranda. They come to pray at the Sunya Mandir, which is a temple built in the early 1900s. This temple is dedicated to a god called Sunya Bramha. Many years ago, a wise person named Mahima Gosain’s Samadhi Pitha (which is like a sacred spot) was created here. It’s believed that this wise person got salvation, or freedom from the cycle of life and death, on this day. People from a group called the Mahima sect celebrate this day a lot. They go to different parts of the temple, like Gadi Mandir, Dhuni Mandir, Akhanda Bati Mandir, and Ghanta Mandir, to show their respect. Inside the temple, they don’t have images to worship. Instead, they light a special flame called ‘Akhanda Dhuni’ that’s been burning for a really long time. They also do a special ceremony called Havan or Yagya, where they put a lot of ghee into a holy fire. This is a big attraction for tourists. During the fair, people chant a phrase and it makes a musical sound all around Joranda. This chant is like a big prayer for the whole world to be happy and peaceful. It’s about spreading love and kindness, and it’s all in the name of Mahima Gosain, who started something called Mahima Dharma. This fair is an important Hindu festival and it’s a great way to celebrate the wonderful traditions, art, and culture of Odisha.

Bali Jatra Festival

Bali Jatra is a famous festival in Cuttack, Odisha. It happens in the months of October and November. It’s like a big party to remember when sailors from Odisha went to faraway places like Bali, Java, and Sri Lanka. They start the festival on a full moon day and it goes on for seven days. They pray to Lord Kartikeswar and make paper boats to put in the river. They also light lamps on the boats, which looks very beautiful. A long time ago, sailors thought full moon days were lucky for sailing. During Bali Jatra, there’s a big fair where you can see things from different states. You can also buy crafts and traditional silver things. People can go boating too, which is very exciting. The festival is really big and more than 1300 stalls are set up to show things like modern technology, crafts, and traditional items. Lots of people, about 3 lakhs, come to visit the festival every year. There’s also a special market where you can see things from 24 different states in India Time of celebration-Bali Jatra festival is observed on the day of Poornima (full moon) in the auspicious month of Kartikeya (October-November) and continues for the next seven days.

Adivasi Mela

If you want to learn about the tribal culture of Odisha, you should visit the state during the Adivasi Mela celebrations. This event lasts for 15 days and showcases the traditions and crafts of 62 different tribes from Odisha. Some of these tribes are more vulnerable than others, with 13 being particularly at risk. In the past, this festival only lasted for 7 days, but because it became so popular and important, the government decided to extend it to 15 days. The festival happens in a forested area, which fits well with the theme of celebrating tribal culture. Most of the time, it takes place at the Adivasi Exhibition Ground in Bhubaneswar and attracts a big crowd who really enjoy it. While the festival is mainly about showing off the traditions and crafts of these tribes, it also has another goal. It wants to bring attention to the needs of the tribes in Odisha and promote their development. They do this by performing tribal dances, singing tribal songs, and celebrating with a lot of excitement. This festival has become a major tourist attraction for Odisha over the years since it started in 1951 on January 26th, supported by the Adivasi and Harijan Welfare Department. Here are some of the best parts of the festival: 1. Tribal Jewelry: They display and exhibit traditional jewelry like the Anklet of Koya, the Anklet of Kondh, the Khadu (Brass anklet of Saora), the Andu (Anklet of Dongria Kondh), and many others. 2. Handicrafts: The festival also focuses on promoting tribal handicrafts. This includes clothes with tribal prints, pottery made by the tribes, items created from Bamboo and Cane, and various other handicrafts. 3. Dance and Songs: The Adivasi Mela is a time of celebration, with tribal dances and folk songs being performed and enjoyed by everyone. Time of celebration-Month of January and February

Gajalaxmi Puja

Gaja-Lakshmi Puja is a well-known festival in Odisha, a state by the coast. The Gaja-Lakshmi Puja is mainly celebrated in Dhenkanal, Angul, and Kendrapara towns. This festival lasts for 11 days and is all about honoring Goddess Lakshmi. It starts on Kumar Purnima. Time of celebration-Gajalaxmi Puja is observed on the day of Poornima (full moon) in the auspicious month of October-November and continues for the next seven days.

Shitalasasthi 

Shitalasasthi, also known as Sital Sasthi, is a famous festival in western Odisha. It’s like a big party celebrating the wedding of Shiva and Parvati. People have been celebrating this festival for a really long time. About 400 years ago, the king of Sambalpur invited some special Brahmins from another place to celebrate this festival. The festival started in a place called Nandapada, where these Brahmins lived. This festival is like a big fair with lots of fun. People from different jobs and talents join in to make it colorful and lively. It’s held at the end of the hot summer season, around the sixth day of a special month. The idea is to ask the rain Gods to cool things down after the hot weather. Many tourists come to Sambalpur during this time from nearby places and even other countries. Time of celebration-Month of May

Dhanu Jatra

Dhanu Jatra, also known as Dhanu Yatra, is a famous and exciting festival that happens every year in Bargarh, Odisha. It’s like a big play that takes place outdoors and tells a story. Imagine a huge area of about 8 kilometers around the town where this festival happens. It’s actually the biggest open-air theater in the world, and it’s even in the Guinness Book of World Records! The story they act out during the festival is about a character named Krishna and his uncle, Kansa. They tell this story based on old legends. This festival started in Bargarh, but now they do similar performances in other places in Western Odisha too. But the main and original one is still in Bargarh. The story they show in this festival is about Krishna and his brother Balaram visiting a city called Mathura. They want to see a ceremony organized by their uncle Kansa. The festival starts with Kansa getting really mad and taking the king’s throne away from him. This is because Kansa doesn’t like that his sister, Debaki, got married to a guy named Basudeba. The festival ends with Kansa dying and the rightful king, Ugrasen, becoming king again. One cool thing about this festival is that the actors don’t use a written script. They just remember what to say and do. It’s like a big play that everyone in the area looks forward to. During the festival, the character Kansa can even pretend to punish people for their mistakes, kind of like a game. Even a former Chief Minister named Biju Patnaik got fined once during this festival! In 2014, the Indian government’s Department of Culture decided that Dhanu Yatra is so special that it should be recognized as a National Festival. This means that it’s an important celebration for the whole country. Time of celebration-Month of December

Biswakarma puja

Vishwakarma Puja is a big celebration in Odisha. It’s a festival for the God of Architecture. People worship Lord Vishwakarma, who is an important god in Hindu religion. They believe he built all the palaces of the gods and even made flying chariots. When tourists visit during Vishwakarma Puja, they can see how the country celebrates its religion. During this festival, there are many rituals and customs. Workers promise to work better on this day. Some places in India also fly kites to celebrate. Factories usually have special ceremonies where workers worship. They also get to eat tasty food. After the worship, there are fun shows and activities to keep the festive feeling alive. Time of celebration-Month of September