Odisha-Land Of Many Festivals Poem by Bharati Nayak

Odisha-Land of Many Festivals

Odisha, Odisha
My land of many festivals
What a rich culture you have!
You are full with traditional festivals
That sings the glory of yore.
People celebrate, Festivals of Raja, Kumarapurnima,
, Dusshera and, Diwali
They celebrate Festivals of Holi, Samba Dasami,
Khudurukuni and Rakhya Bandhan
And each festival has a flavour of its own.

Among all festivals, Raja Festival is very unique
It is a celebration for Mother Earth's fertility
This is celebrated for four days
When the unmarried girls wear new dresses,
adore themselves with new bangles, ribbons and cosmetics
They are forbidden to do any household chores
Or to touch the mother earth bare feet.

These four days are days of much fun and frolics
The Aroma of Poda Pitha, Manda, Kakara fill the air
And People greet each other with love and warmth
Offering them betels and sweet delicacies.

The girls play on swings
While boys engage in playing cards or ‘Bagudi'

Welcoming the festivals the girls sing
‘Banaste Dakila Gaja
Barasake thare asichhi raja lo
Gheni nua sajabaja'

‘‘The elephant trumpets in the forest
That Raja Festival has come
After a year, oh friend
It has come with new cosmetics and new wealth ‘'