Bhubaneswar: Dola Purnima, a vibrant spring festival, is being celebrated on the full moon day of the Phalguna month. This year, it falls on March 14, 2025. It marks the onset of spring and the beginning of the new Odia calendar year.
This festival is a unique blend of devotion, tradition, and cultural exuberance, deeply rooted in Odisha’s rich culture and heritage.
The festivities begin with ceremonial processions of deities, including Lord Krishna and Radha, through villages, accompanied by traditional music, devotional songs, and rhythmic beats of drums and cymbals.
The highlight of the festival is the Dola Melana, a grand gathering of deities from various villages, where idols are placed on beautifully decorated chariots called as ‘Biman’, gently rocked to the rhythm of devotional songs.
The festival holds special significance at Shree Jagannath Temple, with the deities adorned in magnificent garlands and placed on a swing platform, where devotees apply colours to the deities amid a joyous atmosphere.
Dola Purnima is not just a religious festival but also a cultural milestone having a sense of brotherhood, celebrating the arrival of spring and symbolising renewal and rejuvenation. The festival is characterized by the use of organic colour-Abira.
In modern times, Dola Purnima has evolved to include community feasts, cultural programs, and eco-friendly celebrations, fostering community bonding and cultural pride.
Holika Dahan
Holika Dahan, a significant ritual in the Hindu calendar, commemorates the triumph of good over evil. This ancient tradition is rooted in Hindu mythology, which recounts the tale of Holika, sister of the demon king Hiranyakashipu.
According to legend, Holika was granted a divine boon that rendered her impervious to fire. Emboldened by this power, she attempted to incinerate her devout nephew Prahlad, a faithful follower and great devotee Lord Vishnu. However, the tables turned, and Holika’s supposed invincibility proved futile. As she sat amidst the flames with Prahlad, the boon failed her, and she was reduced to ashes, while Prahlad emerged unscathed.
