Festivals
Maha Visuba Sankranti: Some ritual performed at the place amalgamation of different influential cult adapted in the temple over a period of time. Various Tantrik rites are still being observed today at the place. Maha Visuba Pana Sankranti (Jhamu Yatra), otherwise known as “fire walking festival” is one of the important festivals of the Goddess. Sudra Sevaks belong to Roul caste on this occasion wear a picturesque custumes and dance bare footed over burning charcoals. Some ritual gestures are subsequently go round the nearby villages for nearly one month in order to campaign and spread magnanimity of Devi mahima. It appears that, this festival is a tantrik origin.
Durga Puja: In the Autumn season, the Durga Puja is observed from Mulastami to Mahastami and is considered as one of the greatest festival in the Devi Peetha. Mahinsa Mardini Besa, Suna Besa and Kalika Nrutya are the main attractions of the festival. Sodasa Upachara puja takes place twice daily during this period. Traditionally the animal sacrifice of a buffalo is done on the prescribed day Mahastami (Sandhipuja), a male goat sacrifice is done before the ceremonial idol of the Goddess on the day of Dussehra at the old shrine of the deity Sarola Grama.
Chandan Yatra: Chandan Yatra begins from Akshaya Tritiya and is observed for twenty-one days. It is a unique festival of Shakta Shrine as deity is worshiped here as Parama Vaishnavi. In the text of Oriya Mahabharata Sarala Thakurani is described as Parama Vaishnavi. It is an old traditional festival from time immemorial.
Nabanna Puja: The Nabanna in consonance with Orissa’s harvesting season is observed here in the first week of Margasirsha with a great devotion and is also considered as an important festival. Different types of foods are prepared for the deity, from the newly harvested crops and offered to the deity through Sodasa Upachara Puja and all the niyogies of the deity eat the Prasad in a group.
As Jhankad was under the direct administration of Gajapati, influence of Jagannath culture and Vasihnavism are seen in this Devi peetha. This is quite evident from some of the rituals like Gamha Avisek, Pausyabhiseka in the full moon day of the month Sraban, Pausa, on account of Nabanka Bedha, the processional idol of God taken nine times round the temple similar to Sri Jaganath Temple Puri. Rasa Utsav in the month Kartik, Dola Melana in the month of Phalgun. In accordance with Jagannath culture Suniya in the month of Bhadrav is observed as coronation ceremony of Gajapati kings the resembling the rites in the temple of lord, Sarala the consorts is ornated in gracious ornaments.
Read more about this topic: Sarala Temple
Famous quotes containing the word festivals:
“This is certainly not the place for a discourse about what festivals are for. Discussions on this theme were plentiful during that phase of preparation and on the whole were fruitless. My experience is that discussion is fruitless. What sets forth and demonstrates is the sight of events in action, is living through these events and understanding them.”
—Doris Lessing (b. 1919)
“Why wont they let a year die without bringing in a new one on the instant, cant they use birth control on time? I want an interregnum. The stupid years patter on with unrelenting feet, never stopping—rising to little monotonous peaks in our imaginations at festivals like New Year’s and Easter and Christmas—But, goodness, why need they do it?”
—John Dos Passos (1896–1970)