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As per the tradition, people in Odisha are observing ‘Pana Sankranti’ today, also known as Maha Bishuba Sankranti, the traditional New Year Day festival. The festival is celebrated on the first day of the traditional solar month of Meṣa, hence equivalent lunar month Baisakha.
Usually, the Pana Sankranti also marks the end of the 13-day Danda and Jhamu Yatra. Traditionally, this Sankranti is also called as the Maha Visuba Sankranti – the name whose etymology can be traced to the Visuva Rekha, the Equator.
Pana Sankranti and the rituals associated with it can also be considered to be an attempt to beat the wrath of the summer. As water is the essential element to beat the heat, hence the day is also called ‘Jala (Water) Bisuba Sankranti.
This New Year is celebrated across the country as 'Maha Bishuba' Pana Sankranti, Rongali Bihu, Vishu, and Puthandu. Be it Baisakhi, Vishu or Puthandu, the celebrations are more or less equal in different parts of the country.
Panasankranti and Pana
On the occasion of Pana Sankranti, an earthen pot, filled with a sweet drink known as Pana, is hung over a Basil (Tulsi) plant. Through a tiny hole at the bottom of the pot, the sweet water falls drop by drop on the Tulsi plant.
The Pana is a mixture made of pulp of bela (wood apple), nadia kora (coconut gratings) chena (cottage cheese) and other items. Pana is considered to be one of the healthy and better options to neutralise the wrath of summer.
