Bureau Head (PKB): Odisha is a pious land of cultural heritage and a place of many festivals throughout the years. As soon as one festival is over, another is ready to be taken up for celebration. This is such a land where every household is found decorated heightening the beauty and grace of the houses all through the years by virtue of observation of different rituals and festivals following which a unique proximity of deep bond relationship among the family members exist. On friday, the day of “Satyaban Sabitri Puja” was celebrated not only in temples but also in individual households.
“Satyaban Sabitri Puja” was reported to have been celebrated with much pomp and show across the state. The celebration of such puja is also called “Sabitri Amabasya ” where the married ladies and housewives keep fasting the entire day doing the puja. Our team paid visit to some of the households of the Powerhouse Hanuman Colony of Jeypore in koraput district of Odisha to conduct interviews of the married women for seeking their opinions on the importance of” Sabitri Puja”. While speaking to our correspondent, Rosalin Sahu, a pharmacist opined ” We have been conducting this Puja from the inception of our marriage. At home, I had seen my mother doing the same keeping herself fasting the entire day. It is traditionally believed that doing this puja increases the longevity of the lives of husbands ” Niharika Karna, a school teacher who serves at Sambalpur came to Jeypore, the place where her husband Biswajit Menduli works for offering her devotion before the God for the peace, happiness and long life of her husband as stated. GayatriNayak, an employee of government of Odisha while sharing her views told ” We conduct this traditional puja with bearing devotion in our hearts. We usually invite a priest for formally doing the puja at our home. This year at our “Adi-Pap Kutira, leaving the bed before 4am, cleaning the entire house, did the puja with the objective of the happy and long disease-free life of my husband ”
On the eve of this festival, different gifts from the parents of married ladies come as a token of love, affection and inspiration for organising the Puja. After the puja is over, the husband adds “Sindur” on the forehead of his wife and offers her a glass of water along with some fruits. The festival of Sabitri Puja crossing the boundaries of the haves and have nots, being celebrated. The heavy prices of fruits and other materials can not put a hindrance on the mind of a poor lady for doing this “Sabitri Amabasya ”
