Diwali, the festival of lights, is now just a few days away! Excitement is all around you. Isn’t it?
The celebrations are done as a mark of the victory of good over evil. This was the time when Lord Ram returned home after defeating Demon King Ravana after rescuing Devi Sita from his clutches.
Different states celebrate the festival in their own unique ways. Today we are giving you an interesting glimpse into the sparkling Diwali celebrations of Odisha.
Bada Badua Daka: Remembering Our Ancestors
Diwali is not only about lighting diyas and firecrackers, but also about cherishing togetherness and loads of smiles!
We gather with our loved ones on the day of celebration. We light up diyas and sparkle with our phooljhadhis. However, there still remains some emptiness in the celebrations, when we remember and miss those who are not with us anymore. This is when we all call out to our ancestors.
Bada Badua Daka is an age-old tradition observed by people across Odisha during Diwali. The crowd gathers in large numbers in front of Mahaprabhu’s abode in Puri, holding long jute sticks, or Kaunria Kathi. They light up the sticks and point them toward the sky as a call to their forefathers, and seek their blessings.
The eldest person in the family steps forward and chants:
Bada Badua Ho
Aandhaara re Assa
Alua Re Jao.
Baisi Pahaache Gada Gadau Thau.
The sight itself is a pure emotion by itself, witnessing the devotion that the people carry to their ancestors!
Sneek-Peak Into Bhadrak’s Kali Puja During Deepawali
While Diwali celebrations are at their peak in the entire state, Maa Kali arrives, showering her blessings upon all of us!
Just a few days after Maa Durga bids farewell to her bhaktas, she comes back to bless all of us as Goddess Kali during the festival. Several towns in Odisha are lit with beautifully erected pandals of the Devi. However, the Kali Puja of Bhadrak has its own sweet charm!
Several devotees flock to the well-known Bhadrakali temple in Bhadrak town to seek her blessings. The outskirts of the city resonate with fun and enthusiasm, with several streets dotted with magnificent pandals. The fun is enhanced by mela, in which stalls are set up by the artisans from different states. They display their handicrafts, attracting several shopping freaks.
So if you plan to visit Bhadrak this Diwali, don’t forget to attend the fair!
The Ethereal Feel Of Kali Puja In Cuttack
Cuttack holds a unique place when it comes to celebrating Kali Puja in Odisha. Just as the way Durga Puja is celebrated, there is an aroma of love and excitement that surrounds the city during this time too!
Several mesmerising pandals are erected across the city that instantly capture the hearts of onlookers. Grand structures coupled with artistic details done by our skilled artisans are literally a sight to behold! It’s not only the beautiful pandals but also the statue of Maa Kali that is equally breathtaking.
As we walk inside the pandals, we get to see some pretty fascinating iconography. They vary from one pandal to the other, each depicting a fascinating story!
Fierce Maa Kali
Some pandals showcase the most common iconography in which Maa is in her most fierce form, i.e., Maa Durga. She looks ghastly, with one of her tongues sticking out. She has placed one of her legs on Lord Mahadev. She is wearing a garland of skulls.
Powerful Maa Tara
In some other pandals, Goddess Tara blesses her devotees. One of the other forms is Maa Kali. She is blue in color and wears tiger skin. Like Godess Kali, she has stepped on her husband, who is lying there in an attempt to stop her from causing destruction.
Maa Chinnamasta, the Divine
Another fierce form of Goddess Kali presides over the pandals of Cuttack, where Maa Chinnamastha is worshipped. She is shown holding her butchered head, with blood splurting out of her neck.This form is, however, prayed for only by the Bakhrabad Puja Community!
This year, the Diwali celebrations will coincide with a solar eclipse that will occur on the 25th of this month. Therefore, the people of Odisha will be celebrating on the 24th.
So how are you planning to celebrate Diwali this year? Do not forget to visit the awesome pandals in Cuttack! Also post your experience in our comment section.
Diwali, the festival of lights, is now just a few days away! Excitement is all around you. Isn’t it?
The celebrations are done as a mark of the victory of good over evil. This was the time when Lord Ram returned home after defeating Demon King Ravana after rescuing Devi Sita from his clutches.
Different states celebrate the festival in their own unique ways. Today we are giving you an interesting glimpse into the sparkling Diwali celebrations of Odisha.
Bada Badua Daka: Remembering Our Ancestors
Diwali is not only about lighting diyas and firecrackers, but also about cherishing togetherness and loads of smiles!
We gather with our loved ones on the day of celebration. We light up diyas and sparkle with our phooljhadhis. However, there still remains some emptiness in the celebrations, when we remember and miss those who are not with us anymore. This is when we all call out to our ancestors.
Bada Badua Daka is an age-old tradition observed by people across Odisha during Diwali. The crowd gathers in large numbers in front of Mahaprabhu’s abode in Puri, holding long jute sticks, or Kaunria Kathi. They light up the sticks and point them toward the sky as a call to their forefathers, and seek their blessings.
The eldest person in the family steps forward and chants:
Bada Badua Ho
Aandhaara re Assa
Alua Re Jao.
Baisi Pahaache Gada Gadau Thau.
The sight itself is a pure emotion by itself, witnessing the devotion that the people carry to their ancestors!
Sneek-Peak Into Bhadrak’s Kali Puja During Deepawali
While Diwali celebrations are at their peak in the entire state, Maa Kali arrives, showering her blessings upon all of us!
Just a few days after Maa Durga bids farewell to her bhaktas, she comes back to bless all of us as Goddess Kali during the festival. Several towns in Odisha are lit with beautifully erected pandals of the Devi. However, the Kali Puja of Bhadrak has its own sweet charm!
Several devotees flock to the well-known Bhadrakali temple in Bhadrak town to seek her blessings. The outskirts of the city resonate with fun and enthusiasm, with several streets dotted with magnificent pandals. The fun is enhanced by mela, in which stalls are set up by the artisans from different states. They display their handicrafts, attracting several shopping freaks.
So if you plan to visit Bhadrak this Diwali, don’t forget to attend the fair!
The Ethereal Feel Of Kali Puja In Cuttack
Cuttack holds a unique place when it comes to celebrating Kali Puja in Odisha. Just as the way Durga Puja is celebrated, there is an aroma of love and excitement that surrounds the city during this time too!
Several mesmerising pandals are erected across the city that instantly capture the hearts of onlookers. Grand structures coupled with artistic details done by our skilled artisans are literally a sight to behold! It’s not only the beautiful pandals but also the statue of Maa Kali that is equally breathtaking.
As we walk inside the pandals, we get to see some pretty fascinating iconography. They vary from one pandal to the other, each depicting a fascinating story!
Fierce Maa Kali
Some pandals showcase the most common iconography in which Maa is in her most fierce form, i.e., Maa Durga. She looks ghastly, with one of her tongues sticking out. She has placed one of her legs on Lord Mahadev. She is wearing a garland of skulls.
Powerful Maa Tara
In some other pandals, Goddess Tara blesses her devotees. One of the other forms is Maa Kali. She is blue in color and wears tiger skin. Like Godess Kali, she has stepped on her husband, who is lying there in an attempt to stop her from causing destruction.
Maa Chinnamasta, the Divine
Another fierce form of Goddess Kali presides over the pandals of Cuttack, where Maa Chinnamastha is worshipped. She is shown holding her butchered head, with blood splurting out of her neck.This form is, however, prayed for only by the Bakhrabad Puja Community!
This year, the Diwali celebrations will coincide with a solar eclipse that will occur on the 25th of this month. Therefore, the people of Odisha will be celebrating on the 24th.
So how are you planning to celebrate Diwali this year? Do not forget to visit the awesome pandals in Cuttack! Also post your experience in our comment section.
