Significance of Dola Purnima - Orissa

                                                                    Dola Purnima


Dola Purnima or Holi is a popular festival in the coastal districts of Orissa. 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
 Dola purnima or Holi is the most famous spring festival of India. Usually celebrated in March It has special properties in its celebration in Orissa where it is a five day affair, especially in the rural areas. The images of Krishna are worshipped form Dashami (10th day of the bright fortnight) to the full moon day.

The images are taken in decorated vimans, small wooden temples, carried on the shoulders of bearers from house to house where offerings are made to them. After the tour of the village the vimanas from different villages are assembled in an open field and the time is spent in bhajana and kirtan. Jatras and palas are also held in the area. The day after the full moon day people throw coloured water on one another and smear each other's faces with coloured powder (3bir).
 The festival is specially important for cattle owing to their association with the cowherd boy Krisllna. They are bathed, anointed with vermillion, garlanded and fed sumptuously. The festival is connected with the destruction of the demon Holikasura or the she-demon Holika by making a bonfire, for which the festival is called Holi.
This is the celebration of romantic union between Radha and Krishna. Beginning this day images of both Radha and Krishna are placed on a swing and are worshipped by smearing them with abir (coloured powder).

Dol Purnima harks the advent of Spring and is synonymous with Shri Radha Krishna. Around the region of Braj bhoomi – Mathura, Vrindavan, Barsana and Nandgaon this is one of the prime celebrations, on the last full moon day of Phalguna. It also marks the birthday of saint Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
In Orissa and Bengal, Holi Celebrations will begin on Phagu Dasami and end on Phalgun Poornima or main Holi festival will be celebrated on the day after Dol Purnima.
In Bengal Dol Purnima is a day of colours, revelry and as with most celebrations in Bengal – sweets – malpoa, kheer sandesh, basanti sandesh (saffron), saffron milk, payash etc. The west Indian expats brought with them bhang, it stayed. In Shantiniketan Dol Jatra is celebrated with songs and dance of Rabindranath tagore.


Dola Purnima in Lord Jagannatha Temple:-

“Dola Purnima” is a popular festival in the coastal districts of Odishaa. Lord Jagannath is worshiped as the name of Dolagovinda in this festival. On this day Odiya calendar becomes ready and it is worshiped on Dolabedi infront of Dolagovinda. It is the full-moon day in the month of Falguna.

On the auspicious occasion of Dola Purnima, the four deities inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Sri Mandir will be decked up in Suna Besa seated on the ratna singhasan.
The  Raja Dhiraj Besa or suna besa is much loved by the devotees as divine siblings are decked in gold jewelry embellished with diamond and  gems taken out from the temple treasury.
Lord Jagannatha is worshipped as Dola Govinda during Dola purnima and Lord Govinda with Goddess Sridevi are placed on the dola bedi.
Celebrated on the full-moon day in the month of Falguna, sevayats and devotees apply colours to them.
Today following the rituals the temple door opened at 3 am and after cleaning at 4 am the rituals had begun. This day is also known as ‘Basantotasaba’ or spring festival.

The idols of Shri Radha Krishna is replaced by Lord Jagannath. After all he is but another synonym of Krishna.
The palanquin with the Lord is taken out in a procession. In the evening, milkmen, carry the Lord on their shoulders, for Krishna belonged to their clan. It is scented ‘abir’, colours, sweets and celebrations till evening, when the Lords take a bath and return to temple.
In some places, the new Oriya Panchang or almanac is read after the swing festival. In some regions, the festival comes to an end only on the tenth day and this is known as Dasa Dola. Numerous fairs are also organized during this period, which is called as Dola Jatra or Dol Yatra.
Dola Yatra from Lord Jagannath temple Puri to ‘’Dolabedi,’’ Jagannath (substitute) Dolagobinda, along with Maa Laxmi & Swarasati going to play holi at Dolabadi Puri Thousand of pilgrims & Tourist Enjoying this day.

Importance of Dola Purnima:-


An ancient Hindu myth is associated with celebration of Dola. There was once a demon king by the name of Hiranyakashyap who won over the kingdom of earth. He was so egoistic that he commanded everybody in his kingdom to worship him. But to his great disappointment, his sonPrahlad became an ardent devotee of Lord Naarayana and refused to worship his father. Hiranyakashyap tried several ways to kill his son Prahlad but Lord Vishnu saved him every time. Finally, he asked his sister, Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap. For, Hiranyakashyap knew that Holika had a boon, whereby, she could enter the fire unscathed. Treacherously, Holika coaxed young Prahlad to sit in her lap and she herself took her seat in a blazing fire. The legend has it that Holika had to pay the price of her sinister desire by her life. Holika was not aware that the boon worked only when she entered the fire alone.
Prahlad, who kept chanting Vishnu Nama all this while, came out unharmed, as the lord blessed him for his extreme devotion. Thus, Holi derives its name from Holika.
And, is celebrated as a festival of victory of good over evil. Holi is also celebrated as the triumph of a devotee. As the legend depicts that anybody, howsoever strong,
cannot harm a true devotee. And, those who dare torture a true devotee of god shall be reduced to ashes.

A Multihued Festival:-

"Dola Purnima" or Holi is a popular festival in the coastal districts of Orissa. It is the full-moon day in the month of Falguna. 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." Dola Purnima


Time For The Festival:-

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 Orissa. It starts from the tenth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Falguna 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 of Dola Purnima:-

The procession is led by village drummers, pipers and the 'Sankirtana Mandalis'. The procession halts in front of each household and the deity is offered 'Bhog'. The daily rounds of the deity for the four days are called "Chachery". On the final day of the Purnima the celebration culminates in a swing-festival for the deities. The idols carried in Veemanas from a number of villages assemble in an important place where swings are fixed on a platform. They are made to swing to the accompaniment of devotional music sung in chorus.

In olden days the beginning of the New Year was calculated from the spring-season. After the swinging festival of the deities, the 'Ganaka' or 'Jyothisha' (astronomer-cum-fortune teller) reads out the new Oriya almanac and narrates the important events that are to take place during the year. For this reason, some are of opinion that this festival is purely to celebrate the New Year.

Celebration of Dola Purnima :-

The procession is led by village drummers, pipers and the ‘Sankirtana Mandalis’. The procession halts in front of each household and the deity is offered ‘Bhog’. The daily rounds of the deity for the four days are called “Chachery”. On the final day of the Purnima the celebration culminates in a swing-festival for the deities. The idols carried in Veemanas from a number of villages assemble in an important place where swings are fixed on a platform. They are made to swing to the accompaniment of devotional music sung in chorus.

Mendhapodi:-

In some places the burning of the straw hut is known as "Mendhapodi" or the burning of a ram. A legend attached to it says that a demon known as 'Mesha' was causing terror in the Heaven and Earth, Gods as well as human beings prayed Krishna to rescue them from his atrocities. Krishna killed and burnt him to ashes. It is, therefore to reminiscent this event that a hut is burnt which represents the abode of the demon.

Holi Fairs:-

 In many places of the State big fairs are arranged where idols of the deity are assembled. These fairs are called "Melana". The Veemanas of the surrounding villages are placed in a row for public view. Keen competition is observed in the decoration of the Veemanas. When all the expected Veemanas reach the place, display of fire-works takes place and this is watched by thousands of enthusiastic crowd.
 In the fairs agricultural implements, commodities, household articles and furniture are bought and sold. Such Melanas or fairs continue till the month of Chaitra in different places of the district of Cuttack, Puri and Ganjam