Joranda Mela: A Mythological celebration
Joranda Mela: A Mythological celebration
There is a popular saying that “Orissa is the land of festivals and holy celebrations.” In a year of twelve months, people here celebrate more than 13 festivals. Among these joranda fair is the only its kind. Mostly this festival is celebrated in the month of Magha at Mahimagadi of Joranda, situated nearly 25 kms away from Dhenkanal. This is mainly celebrated by the religious people belong to the religion, locally named ‘Alekh/Mahima’ dharma.
From the year, 1874 this unique festival was regularly held year after year. For the first time Mahima Swami has imagined and created the idea of this great fair. Every year the people belong to Mahima religion gather here to celebrate their annual function, termed as “Joranda Fiar”. From each nook and corners of Orissa the devotees come to this place to discover calmness in their life and how to achieve nirvana (Swarg) after death.
According to the devotees they pray altogether to their god by saying. Alekh Brahma’ and burn enough amount of ghee in “Jajnan Khud’ to being peace back into the earth’s life. They believe that this devotion will provide our earth pureness and all the basic needs people cherish in their day-to-day life.
Every year this fair begins with much devolution, fun and amusement. According to the Orissa’s own calendar, this fair starts in the month of Magha in the early morning with many local musical instruments. During this season the whole Dhenkanal seems to be in festive mood. Like the most popular Puri Rath Yatra here also rules and regulations are followed and celebrated with a great grandeur.
To attract different groups of people except devotees, the fair organizer and some enjoyable components to it. Among these gold, silver and cotton made umbrellas, chunri, hand fans, etc have much demand at this fair. Besides some local crafts-men also show their individual images and other handwork products to publicize. Like all other fair some major components like food stalls, amusement stalls, stationary product stalls, etc are also arranged. Unlike Puri Rath Yatra it is not much popular in the whole world. But due to this uniqueness Orissa people give much importance to this fair held at Joranda a cure at the Chndrabhaga river. The place where Shambha is said to have mediated and worshipped the Sun God after ablutions in the river for twelve years have become a sacred spot possessing curative properties.
Today, the river is not to be seen. What is left could be described either as a larger pond or a very small lake. Yet the faith is the cleansing powers of its waters. On this day of Magha Samptami, thousands of people go through the bathing rituals. The ritual bating takes place form 3 am onwards, commencing with the priests and followed by the rest. After their purification they face with their eyes focused on a brighter section of the horizon for darshan (worship) of Sun God. After darshan, nearly 80 percent of the people begin their journey to home, stopping on their way for offerings at the local shrines on the beach and the thakurbani (home of the local priest), where ceremonies still continue.
In Chandrabhaga fair there are lots of things where tourists can enjoy a lot. There are toys and other games to attract children. And other games which is for elders also very interesting. The kiosk around, do brisk business. For tourists, coconut water with soft, delicious kernel is very delicious to eat. Though essentially a religious event, entertainment is provided by dance troupes performing jatra (folk theatre) close to the Sun Temple. These programmes go on late into the night. An unway pilgrim surrendering to compulsive hospitality is likely to find himself in one of them. As the morning stretches, the sands and the fisher folk, with their catamarans, regain authority on chandrabhaga. While the wind and the caves will erase, all traces of this mammoth congregation, the celestial drama, though repeated daily shall remain on ordinary event until the next Magah Saptami. Also we can find a grand fair at Khandagiri near Bhubanewsar on the same day which continues for about a week. Lots of tourists and local people come for enjoyment and entertainment.
