Dola Purnima Celebrated Across Odisha With Gaiety, Know The Significance

Holy ‘Dola Purnima’ festival is being celebrated across Odisha on Friday with religious fervor and gaiety amid Covid-19 restrictions. The air at the ‘Melana’ grounds is filled with ‘Abeer’, the Holi colour of different shades.

The beautifully decorated ‘Vimans’, carrying the idols of Radha and Krishna are seen taking rounds of villages across the State. Amid the beating of cymbals and gongs in unison and firecrackers, the ‘Vimans’ are then brought to the Melana ground at various places much to the delight of  thousands of devotees.

Dola Purnima is a popular festival in the State which is observed on the full-moon day in the month of Phalguna (March). This festival marks the end of the six-day swing festival of Radha and Lord Krishna.

Holy Trinity Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra will be decked up in the very popular ‘Rajadhiraja’ or ‘Suna Besha’ at Srimandir in Puri to mark the holy festival today.

Lord Jagannath is worshipped as ‘Dola Gobinda’ along with Shridevi and Bhudevi on 'Dolabedi' during the festival. The deities are carried to Dolabedi in procession with a palanquin by thousands of devotees following ‘Sakala Dhupa’ ritual at Srimandir. It is believed that the deities play ‘Phagu’ (colours) with the devotees and the servitors on this day.

Besides, thousands of devotees are visiting the Srimandir to get a glimpse of Lord Jagannath on the sacred day resulting in a stampede-like situation today.

Meanwhile, devotees indulged in throwing ‘phagu’ (colour powder) and chanting devotional rhymes during the ‘Melana’ at Olakana in Kendrapara district.

Around 200 ‘Vimanas’ from different parts of the State joined the traditional Olakana ‘Melana’ amid the participation of thousands of devotees who were seen throwing colour powder and chanting devotional rhymes.