Toshali Sands

Gahama Purnima
The full moon-day in the month of Shravana (August) is known as Gahma Purnima or Go Purnima. In the Hindu tradition even the animals and plants, who are beneficialto human beings are propitiated. To cow is regarded as mother. So, Gahma Purnima is festival of the Farmers who worship the cattle. Bullocks are the most important animals for a farmer in India. When ploughing the filed with bullocks is over the farmers venerate them for the service they have rendered. Along with the cattle the God of agriculture. Baladeva is also worshipped. The religious scripture testify that Balarama invented the plough and showed people all the methods of agriculture. Therefore the bullock is his vehicle and the plough, his weapon. He has been also taken in as an Incarnation of Vishnu. In holy scriptures. It is for this reason this festival is also known as Baladeva Puja or Baladeva Jayanti in some areas.

On this day the cattle shed is cleaned and neatly plaster and sketches of bullocks, bullocks carts, ploughs and other agricultural implements are drawn on the walls. Bullocks are bahed and decorated with flowers and scandal-paste. Their horns are oil. The rituals of worship takes place in the cattle-shed itself for which Brahmins are not needed. A piece of new cloth is placed on the back of the bullocks and they are fed with rice-cakes and pulses.

In the afternoon, the bullocks are taken to a field where all the farmers agriculturists gather. Each bullock is made to jump over an altar known as Gahma bedi and this portion of the festival is caleld Gahma dian. It is said that this is reminiscent of similar festival first arranged by Baladeva himself when he first took the bullocks to plough the land for agriculture.

Though essentially a festival of farmers this festival has other religious and social ceremonies too. The other name of the festival is Rakhi Purnia or Rakshya Purnima. The religious scripture testify that on this day Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas vestd the responsibilities of safety of her sons to Lord Krishna as the Kauravas wanted to kills them. So, the festival goes on from that date and is known as Rakshya Purnima or full-moon day of protection. On this occasion the Brahmins of Orissa go from houses to house and bind sacred thread on the wrist of the people invoking Gods to protect their lives. In northern India it is mostly a social festival in which sisters bind sacred threads on the wrists of their brothers to protects them from dishonour. This tradition though new to Orissa is slowly gaining ground.

To this Vaishanavas the festival is known as Jhulum Purnima or the Swing festival which is observed in most of the Vishnu temples and monasteries following the cult. Beginning from the Tenth day of the bright fortnight, it culminate on the Purnima day. The metal images of Rahda and Krishna are placed on beautiful decorated swings and nights are spent with signing and dancing in front of the deities. As an important festival of Lord Jagannath, the celebration of the festival in the shrine and monasteries at Puri attracts visitors from far and near. The festival in the temple was first initiated by the Gujarati king Dibyasingha Dev - (1973- 1798).