The festival of Sunia, marking the start of the new Odia calendar, was celebrated in Puri, Odisha, with traditional fervor and enthusiasm. The rituals took place at the royal palace of Puri Gajapati Dibyasingha Deba, as well as in various temples and mutts in Puri. Sunia, derived from ‘su’ meaning ‘good’ and ‘nia’ meaning ‘taking,’ originally symbolized revenue collection by the king from his subjects, a day of mutual giving and taking. Vamana Janma and Garuda Parswaparibartana were also observed at the Shree Jagannath Temple, commemorating Lord Vishnu’s incarnation as Vamana, and other rituals were performed at the 12th-century shrine. Sunia has historically been significant for the king of Puri, involving ceremonies like Abhisheka, the announcement of the New Year, and administrative activities such as issuing new gold coins and revenue collection.
The festival of Sunia, marking the start of the new Odia calendar, was celebrated in Puri, Odisha, with traditional fervor and enthusiasm. The rituals took place at the royal palace of Puri Gajapati Dibyasingha Deba, as well as in various temples and mutts in Puri. Sunia, derived from ‘su’ meaning ‘good’ and ‘nia’ meaning ‘taking,’ originally symbolized revenue collection by the king from his subjects, a day of mutual giving and taking. Vamana Janma and Garuda Parswaparibartana were also observed at the Shree Jagannath Temple, commemorating Lord Vishnu’s incarnation as Vamana, and other rituals were performed at the 12th-century shrine. Sunia has historically been significant for the king of Puri, involving ceremonies like Abhisheka, the announcement of the New Year, and administrative activities such as issuing new gold coins and revenue collection.
