Odia New Year begins with special rituals, people throng temples

Cuttack: The Odia New Year was observed with religious fervour across the State with people thronging several sacred shrines to seek blessings of the Lord on the auspicious day, that is also celebrated as Maha Visuba Sankranti, on Friday.

Since early morning, devotees started making beelines to the temples with families to offer special prayers in Cuttack. Braving the scorching heat, the devotees actively took part in the special puja and other rituals performed at several temples across the state.

Believed to be one of the major celebrations, the Odia New Year is observed in the month of Baisakh.

Maha Visuba Sankranti also marks a change of position in the Sun’s path and is, therefore, observed in mid-April every year. So there are special pujas observed near the Tulsi tree, which is given a shaded protection from the sun with a pot hung atop it to drip water through the day.

The birthday of Lord Hanuman is also celebrated on this day which marks the release of the new Odia religious almanac for the Hindu year.

Hanuman Chalisha path were also organised at several temples and pana, a traditional cool drink was served to the devotees by temple trusts across the millennium city.