Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday extended his greetings on the occasion of Dola Purnima and prayed the abundant grace and blessings of Lord Dolagobinda fill the lives of all with happiness and prosperity.
ପବିତ୍ର ଦୋଳ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣିମା ଅବସରରେ ରାଜ୍ୟବାସୀଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ହାର୍ଦ୍ଦିକ ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ଓ ଶୁଭକାମନା। ପ୍ରଭୁ ଦୋଳଗୋବିନ୍ଦଙ୍କ ଅପାର କୃପା ଓ ଆଶୀର୍ବାଦ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ଜୀବନରେ ସୁଖ, ସମୃଦ୍ଧି ଭରିଦେଉ। pic.twitter.com/bJ8giBWXEu
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) March 18, 2022
Dola Purnima or Holi is a popular festival in the coastal districts of Odisha. It is the full-moon day in the month of Falguna (March). Through the festival the spring is welcomed and enjoyed with mirth and merriment. This festival has been referred to in the puranical texts as Basantotsaba or the spring-festival.
Some scriptures testify that the Madanotsaba, the festival held in honour of Madana or the Cupid was later transformed as the Dolatsaba or swing-festival of Krishna. Therefore, Krishna is propitiated on this occasion as Madanamohana. Description of the festival as Dolatsaba finds mention in a number of puranas and other Sanskrit texts.
The Padma Purana says, “One is expiated of all sins, who gets a vision of Krishna swaying in the swing.” Though the festival of Holi is observed for a day with mirth and merriment all over the country, the festival is celebrated for five days in Odisha. It starts from the tenth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Falguna (Feb-March) known as Fagu ‘Dasami’.
Smearing the heads with Abira (a violet coloured powder) the people take round the idols of Madanamohana in richly decorated palanquins known as Veemana. The procession is led by village drummers, pipers, and the Sankirtana Mandalis.
