Odisha's Raja Parba: An Ode To Earth With Over 100 Flavours Of Paan To Savour
The sight of crowds thronging paan shops in various places of Odisha is unique to 'Raja' festival that celebrates menstruation of the 'mother' earth.
Published : June 14, 2025 at 5:26 PM IST
|Updated : June 14, 2025 at 6:13 PM IST
Bhubaneswar: It is that time of the year when pithas (pancake called podapitha), swings and paan take centrestage in Odisha. Yes, it is Raja Parba, a three-day festival that celebrates menstruation of mother earth and Goddess Laxmi. Considered an important tradition, it began on Saturday as per the festival calendar of the state.
On all the three days, young unmarried girls in new attires throng venues/parks where the celebrations take place and enjoy eating pithas while playing in the swings. But not without the paan, integral to the fest.
Keeping in mind the business the paan outlets make in these days, the owners change the varieties every year. Like the 'Sonachandi' paan, this year, which is made using special variety of spices from Rajasthan’s Jodhpur. Despite costing Rs 500 per piece, there is growing demand, says the shop owner.
"Paan cannot be given a miss during Raja. Customers buy paans for themselves and to offer as gifts. These special paans are folded in betel leaves laced with masalas made of coconut scrappings, magai leaves and spices. So far, Banaras special paan has been our best seller during Raja," says Ramakant Sahib, a paan shop owner.
However, the festival that was celebrated across the state earlier is now confined to a few urban areas, though the rural masses observe it in a big way with enthusiasm till date.
There are over 100 types of paans like white chocolate, dark chocolate, mango, gupchup, pineapple, laddu, sweet, ayurvedic, maharaja shatarangi and fire paans, among other varieties. The cost of these special paans start from Rs 30 and goes up to Rs 1,500. These paans are also sent across cities including Delhi, Varanasi, Kolkata, and Jaipur during the festival times and are available online.
Ramakant Senapati, owner of Banarasi Paan Bhandar in Shaheednagar, Bhubaneswar, says, "Every year, when Raja comes, paan is common for people here. Demand for paan has grown in the last two days and you can see from the crowd. We prepare special paans on orders as well.”
Raja is the oldest tradition of Odisha which has religious and agrarian connotations. During this time, the farm fields are given a break and farmers use the time to partake a lot of dishes cooked in the house with family. Paan, usually chewed for digestion, is a part of the festival since ages.
A customer who was in the queue to have a paan said, "I have come to buy Banarasi paan for celebrations in the office."
However, despite the importance of the festival in Odia calendar, not many young girls are keen on celebrating it these days. A resident in Bhubaneswar says, "The Raja Parba is no longer the same as we had seen in our times. The fun of Raja was unique. We used to swing on big trees but these days even houses do not have huge trees like yesteryears to hang a swing. We have to go to a park or event venue to enjoy the swing. Even shopping malls have the swing as a crowd puller. During Raja Parba, I take my children to the village so that they are connected to the roots and abide by the tradition."
On the contrary, some say Raja festival has evolved. Like an 84-year-old woman in Bhubaneswar who feels the Raja feels much better in the present day than what was being celebrated years ago.
Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC), over the years, has been making special arrangements for the Raja festival celebrations in Bhubaneswar. On all the three days, they present an array of pancakes and paans for people to buy.
As per belief, Mother Earth and Goddess Laxmi, consorts of Lord Vishnu, experience menstruation during the first three days of the festival (Pahili-first, Raja Sankranti- second and Bhudaaha - third). The fourth day is called Vasumati Snana, or the ceremonial bath of Bhumi.
Raja term came from the Sanskrit word rajas, which means menstruation, and a menstruating woman is called rajasvala. As a mark of celebration, unmarried girls, observe all the rituals observed by goddess Laxmi.
As per agrarian terms, the earth goddess gets rest for three days after menstruating and the fourth day is considered most fertile when farmers start tilling and plantation works on the field.
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