Sital Sasthi fest: Shiva, Parvati’s engagement to be held in Sambalpur 

The festive mood has already set in across Sambalpur district for the ‘Sital Sasthi' festival, the marriage ceremony of the divine couple Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The festival is being observed after two years of subdued celebrations due to the pandemic situation,  . 

Today evening, the engagement ceremony of the Bam Barad Balunkeswar Baba of Nandapada will be held. 

All preparations for this ceremony, an integral part of the most famous festival of western Odisha, are at their last stages with artisans giving final touches to the palanquins and tableaus. 

The father of the groom (Bam Barad Balunkeswar Baba) along with ‘sapta rishis’ and some important persons will go in a colourful procession amid sound of traditional instruments including Dulduli to the residence of the bride (Goddess Parvati). 

This year, while Ramcharan Mishra is donning the role of the lord’s father, Girish Patel and Hansaben Patel of Gol Bazaar area are performing the roles of the bride’s parents. 

Upon reaching the bride’s house, Mishra after enquiring about the bride will give a Sargi patra (Sal leaf) to Patel to confirm the marriage. 
“A procession amid the sound of gongs, conchs and traditional percussions will be taken out from the Bam Barad Balunkeswar Baba’s temple. Ramcharan Mishra, the father of Mahadev, will go to Girish Patel’s house to finalise the marriage,” said the priest of the temple, Sashanka Shekhar Mishra.    

After the engagement ceremony, ‘Gua-Gunda’ ceremony, the ritual of Deba Nimantran (invitation to gods to the divine marriage), will be held on June 1. 

This year, since the historic ‘Sital Sasthi’ festival will be observed with pomp and grandeur on June 4, devotees and visitors, who were disheartened for not being allowed to take part in the celebrations for two years, are waiting eagerly to have a glimpse of the divine couple.