Mahavisuva pana Sankranti: Mesha Sankranti falls around 14 April, at a time of the year when the heat of summer is becoming stronger. In northern India it is called Jala Sankranti, in southern India Sakkar Pongal and in Orissa it is known as Pana Sankranti, named after pana, the main drink offering specially prepared on this occasion. The Purnima just before this month (Chaitra Purnima) also marks the beginning of Vaisakha vrata, a vow that is similar to the Kartika vrata and lasts for one full lunar month. People fast from non-vegetarian foods, visit the Jagannatha temple, take bath in tirthas, worship Lakshmi-Narayana, and give charity to brahmanas.Visuva Sankranti is also the final day of various popular festivals known as Chaitra Parva (starting 3 days before Sankranti), Jhamu Yatra, Hingula yatra, Patua Yatra, Danda Yatra, Uda Yatra etc. People distribute charity of pana (sweet water), chhatu (roasted and ground grains), wooden slippers, fans and umbrellas made of palm leaves and bamboo strips, to the brahmanas and to the poor people to relieve their discomfort due to the scorching heat. On this Sankranti people also start the Tulasi jala dana ritual (giving water to Tulasi); on the first day they offer pana (a mixture of milk, fresh cottage cheese, banana, coconut, sugar, sweet spices), and on the next 20 days they offer water. The offering is done by hanging a decorated clay pot (with a small hole on the bottom, from which three kusha grass blades hang); the liquid contained in the pot drips over the Tulasi plant. This is called vasudhara, “spring water from the earth”. Also, a sunshade cover is offered to Tulasi, in the form of a loose mat made from coconut leaves. It is said that on this day Bhismadeva, the patriarch of the Kuru dynasty, was lying on his bed of arrows on the battlefield of Kurushetra and asked for water. Arjuna shot one arrow deep into the ground and created a fresh spring of pure water to quench the thirst of Bhisma, who blessed all those who would offer cool drinking water to thirsty people on this day, to become free from all their sins and to please their departed ancestors. Hingula Yatra (also called Patua Yatra) celebrates Goddess Hingula, the destroyer of all evil forces, who is said to walk through the villages on Visuva Sankranti. One day before Sankranti, the devotees worshipping Hingula dress with a black skirt, a red shirt, and a black turban with two plaits of cloth on the sides, on which they place a staff balancing the holy pitcher (called ghata) that symbolize the Goddess. These devotees (called Patuas) led by the Bada Patua dance in procession, holding the ends of the turban cloth with stretched arms, sometimes on stilts, sometimes performing difficult steps, accompanied by singing and playing of big brass cymbals played with a cane stick and drums. Women worshipers (called Osati) prepare the offerings of ghi lamps, new cloth, pana (sweet beverage) and green mangoes. Both men and women fast on this day. In the afternoon they gather with their families at a Shiva or Shakti temple, or at a river or pond, with the women making the hulahuli sound and the men shouting “haribol”, drums rolling and everyone loudly singing in praise of Goddess Hingula or Mangala. The Patuas are by now in trance and the priest (a non-brahmana called Jadua or Dehuri) pierces the skin and flesh of their back with sharp iron hooks, without any bloodshed or apparent pain in the devotees.Sometimes instead of the piercing the devotees who observe this vrata walk on thorns (they are called Kanta Patuas from kanta, “thorn”), stand on sharp swords (Khanda Patuas from khanda, “sword”) or on burning charcoals (Nian Patuas, from nian, “fire”), or immerse themselves for a long time in water (Pani Patuas, from pani, “water). The Sikhs also celebrate this day as Vaisakhi or Baisakhi that is considered the appearance of the holy Khalsa Pantha. Several religious and charitable programmes are organized, including Dhandijatha and Langer community feasts.
Posted on: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 08:23:00 +0000
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