Pana Sankranti

See also: Indian New Year's days
Pana Sankranti
Maha Bishuba Sankranti
Pana Sankranti (Maha Vishuba Sankranti) offerings with Bela Pana
Official namePana Sankranti, Maha Bishuba Sankranti, Odia Nua Barsa
Also calledMaha Bisuba Sankranti
Observed byOdias
TypeSocial, Cultural, Religious
SignificanceOdia New Year
CelebrationsMeru Jatra, Jhaamu Jatra, Chadak Parba
ObservancesPujas, processions, Bela Pana
Date1st Baisakha of Odia calendar
Related toSouth and Southeast Asian solar New Year

Pana Sankranti, (Odia: ପଣା ସଙ୍କ୍ରାନ୍ତି), also known as Maha Bishuba Sankranti (Odia: ମହା ବିଷୁବ ସଙ୍କ୍ରାନ୍ତି),[1][2][3] is the traditional new year day festival of Odia people in Odisha, India.[4][5][6] The festival occurs in the solar Odia calendar (the lunisolar Hindu calendar followed in Odisha) on the first day of the traditional solar month of Meṣa, hence equivalent lunar month Baisakha. This falls on the Purnimanta system of the Indian Hindu calendar.[3] It therefore falls on 13/14 April every year on the Gregorian calendar.[7]

The festival is celebrated with visits to Shiva, Shakti or Hanuman temples.[8] People take baths in rivers or major pilgrimage centers. Communities participate in mela (fairs), participate in traditional dance or acrobatic performances. Feasts and special drinks such as a chilled wood apple-milk-yoghurt-coconut drink called pana is shared, a tradition that partly is the source of this festival's name.[8][3]

Pana Sankranti is related to new year festivals in South and Southeast Asian solar New Year as observed by Hindus and Buddhists elsewhere such as Vaisakhi (north and central India, Nepal), Bohag Bihu (Assam), Pohela Boishakh (Bengal), Puthandu (Tamil Nadu) etc.[7][9]

  1. ^ Bhatt, SC; Bhargava, Gopal K. (2006), Land and People of Indian States and Union Territories In 36 Volumes Orissa Volume 21, Kalpaz, p. 419, ISBN 9788178353777
  2. ^ Orissa (India) (1966). Orissa District Gazetteers: Ganjam. Superintendent, Orissa Government Press.
  3. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference foulston178 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Maha Vishuba Sankranti Odisha celebrates Maha Vishuba Sankranti with Fervor
  5. ^ Classic Cooking of Orissa. Danda Nata. Allied Publishers. 2010. pp. 26–. ISBN 978-81-8424-584-4. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  6. ^ Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (1995). Prakr̥ti: Primal elements, the oral tradition. Meru Day, Meru Sankranti. Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. p. 172. ISBN 978-81-246-0037-5. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  7. ^ a b J. Gordon Melton (2011). Religious Celebrations: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations. ABC-CLIO. p. 633. ISBN 978-1-59884-206-7.
  8. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Behera1997p79 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Kalyan Kumar Dasgupta; P. K. Mishra (1996). Aspects of Indian history and historiography: Professor Kalyan Kumar Dasgupta felicitation volume. World wise "vishuba sankranti". Kaveri Books. p. 111. ISBN 978-81-7479-009-5. Retrieved 13 April 2012.