Toshali Sands

The Puri Beach Festival, with Tourism of Orissa tour packages, offers a kaleidoscopic view of Orissa’s cultural heritage and modern lifestyle. Modeled on the Goa Festival, the Puri Beach Festival has its own energy and positive vibes that will make you drop your guard and enjoy every single moment of your stay in Puri, Orissa during the Puri Beach Festival.

The Puri Beach Festival is held over 5 days, in the month of November, on the Puri beach that is a popular tourist and pilgrimage destination on its own. Come festival season and the popular Puri Beach is transformed into the well-lit colorful venue for the Puri Beach Festival. The festival gives you a chance to explore the nuances of the inhabitants of Puri, Orissa, who display a radical attitude towards changing environs and are yet deeply religious and conservative at heart.

With a backdrop of temples, of which the Lord Jagannath Temple dominates the skyline, the Puri Beach is a showcase for Orissa’s and india’s reservoir of talent. From cultural events, classical and folk dance performances, sand sculptures, handicrafts and food festivals to rock concerts, DJs, beach parties and fashion shows; Puri Beach Festival has all the ingredients to establish it as an international festival.

Flagged of with the resonating chorus of Vande Matram, the Puri Beach Festival allows you to blend in with the local people and enjoy the greatest of all that constitutes Orissa’s cultural heritage - its people.

Rock your heads with the tunes of Metallic and Black Sabbath and tap your feet to the local numbers; feast on the cuisines of Orissa and that of india as a whole and shop for souvenirs at the handicrafts stores; or attend a Odissi, Lepcha or Lambadi dance performance and dance on the beach till the break of dawn.

Tours to Puri Beach Festival, with Tourism of Orissa tour packages, offers you a chance to have a blast on the beach that is sacred to Hindus as it is popular with beach lovers and swimming enthusiasts.

Co-sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of india, the Department of Tourism, Government of Orissa, Development Commissioner of Handicrafts and the Eastern Zonal Cultural Center, Calcutta and conducted by the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Orissa (HRAO), the Puri Beach Festival is poised to become as popular with international tourists as it is with the domestic tourists. Here’s your chance to enjoy the Puri Beach Festival in its unspoiled form.

Orissa, Puri: The Diamond Triangle

The Diamond Tringle comprises of Ratnagiri, Udayagiri & Lalithgiri (now Lalitgiri is located in Cuttack district). These three hills and their environs make a remarkable Buddhist complex. Archaeologists have unearthed records of Buddhist relies in the fro of extensive ruins of brick pagodas, sculptured stone portals and esoteric Buddhist images signifying the ancient glory.

These three and the neighboring hills like Kayama and Langudi etc., are believed to have been the site of a huge University Complex, which in fact had been identified by Hieun Tsang as the site of a flourishing Buddhist University called Puspagiri.

At Ratnagiri the findings have been the richest in terms of cultural treasure; two large monasteries, a large stupa, Budhist shrines and numerous sculputres, magnificently carved door jambs of the Viharas and superbly finished concentration of Buddhist sculptures of the post Gypta period.
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Subarna Utsav celebrated

A three days Subarna Utsav-2003 was organized by Zilla Sanskrutik Parishad at Bhima Bhoi Mandap, here recently. Renowned Odissi vocalist Raghunath Panigrahy and troupe performed. Cultural troupes from Baripada, Balangir, Sambalpur, Phulbani, Ranchi, Kokata, Koraput and Sonepur participated.

A district level exhibition was also organized on the Town Hall premises, in which as many as 22 projects were displayed. Water Resources Minister Mangala Kissan, district collector S. Kumar, MLA Kundruru Kusal Zilla Parishad president Anand Barik, DRDA project director Kumarmani Tanty and additional district magistrate Paramananda Badanayak attended.

Bisuva Sankranit celebrated with pomp in Saytabadi block. Devotees thronged the Shiva temple in large numbers. A ‘Vishwa Shanti Yanja’ was organized at Bata Mahavir temple while the famous ‘Patua’ dance was organized at Bhimpur village on the occasion.

Srikshetra Mahotsava 2003

Srikshetra Mahotsava 2003 was started at Open Air Pendal in Puri from April 25th to 29th. This Mahotsav was organized by the Shirkhetra Mahotsav Celebration Committee in association with Tourism Department Govt. of Orissa, Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, Kolkata and District council of culture, Puri. Programes like Naga Dance, Bagha (Tiger) Dance, Hanuman dance and Badi Khela (Stick Play), Banati and other dance forms were also performed during this occasion. This Mahotsav was inaugurated by Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik. This Mahotsav is conducted every year to encourage the culture and tradition of Orissa.

Akhaya Trutiya: The Festival of Farmers in Orissa

As an ideal choice for picturesque monuments, beaches, waterfalls and scenic beauties. Orissa is also famous for her colourful fairs and festivals. There is a popular saying that “The Orissan people celebrate more than thirteen festivals in a year of twelve months.� Each festival is as numerous as the days in a year with a difference of having an individuality of its own culminating in the grand rituals of Lord Jagnnath of Puri. Not only do these festivals have mythological importance but also have scientific reasons along with feelings of national integration and traditional values of Utkal.

Our State Orissa is mostly a farmers’ land. Even in today’s contemporary world, about eight percent of the total population depend upon farming. So the festivals and rituals celebrated here reflect the life each and every farmer. According to the Oriya calendar, Sankranti. Poornima (Full Moon Night), Amabasya (Dark night), Trutiya (3rd day) of the few months is celebrated as Rambha Trutiya, Bali Trutiya, Angaveta Trutiya and Akhaya Trutiya.
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Puri: Festivals in the month of May

Chandan Jatra (May 4): On this day the “Chalanti Pratima’ (Representative Idol) Madan Mohan idol of Lord Jagnnath comes to Narendra Puskarinia (Pond) at Puri to perform “Chaptra Khela” (Play on the boats). Lord Madan Mohan plays for 21 days on the two boats. After playing for 21 days, the Lord Madan Mohan return to the Temple. Lots of devotees come to see this unique play of Lord Madan Mohan known as “Chapa Khela”.

Akhaya Trutiya (May 4) 3rd day or bright fortnight of Baisakha (May) named as ‘Akhaya Trutiya’ is named for the world famous ‘Rath Yatra’ of Puri. On this day the construction work of three Raths (Chariots) of Lord Jagnnath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra with Sudersan is started by the skilled carpenters.
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Magha Poornima

The Chadrabhaga fair is one of the most popular and colourful fairs of Orissa. This fair is held on Magha Poornia to honour the Sun God who is said to have cured Sri Krishna’s son Shambha from leprosy. It is held on the seventh day of Magha (January-February) at a beach close to Knoark in Orissa for seven days. Pilgrims from various parts of Indian congregate every year to take a dip in the holy waters and offer their prayers to the sun.

A majority of pilgrims are from Orissa and also from West Bengal. Andhra Pradesh and even Madhya Pradesh. Besides these, there are tourists who come to Knonark to see the famous Sun Temple. Tourists are come from all directions in various modes of convenience.

On Magha Poornia, thousands of devotees waited with folded hand and chants of Hari Bol. They believed the Sun God to arrive in a blazing chariot pulled by seen horses in divine splendor. The moment for which they had walked miles and spent could sleepless hours on the beach was soon approaching. As the earth turned a fraction of a degree eastward, the Sun’s being rays, consecrated the patient gathering at that place for blessing of the God Sun.

Magha Saptami hearalds the occasion for performance of the Chadrabhaga rituals at a beach three kilometers from Konark. Behind this festival of mystical story where Sahmba, the son of Lord Krishna, enter in to the chamber of this parents without permissioln, when they were in a state of private bliss. Upon this issue Lord Krishna was angry on his son and caused with leprosy. Since the punishment was so acute, Narad took pity on him and an instructed him to seek connected to all the major Cities in India through long-distance trains.

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.
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NAUPADA
The district of Naupada a part of the erstwhile district of Kalahandi, came in to existence on 1st April 1993, as a result of reorganization of the district of Orissa.

The district is land of scenic beauties, waterfalls, natural springs, hills tracts and fertile plains rich in historic antiquities. The district lies between 20-21 North latitutde and 82-83 East longitude. This is the land where Neolithic man left his foot prints in the caves of Yogimath.

Khariar Road, only 10kms from Naupada, the district Headquarters town forms the most convenient base for touring various place of tourist interest in the district.
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Fairs and Festivals in this Month in Nilamadhaba
1. Mahabishuba Sankranit (April 14) Mahabishuba Sankaranti or Pana Sankranti is celebrated as the Oriya New Year throughout Orissa. On this day, people offer delicious “Pana” a sweet drink to the Tulis Plant and Lord Shiva.

2. Chaitra Praba (April) The Chaitra Praba or Chha festival commences from 10th o4 11th April every year and continuous for three days concluding on “Mahavishuba Sankranit Day” at Baripada. This is a festival of festivals which is enjoyed by the people all over Orissa. Chaitra Poornima is on April 27.

3. Tara Tarini Mela (April) The “Taratarini Mela” one of Orissa’s biggest fairs, take place on each Tuesday in the month of “Chaitra” from around mid March to mid April at Taratarinia pitha -30 km from Berhampur - A grand congregation takes place on the 3rd Tuesday.
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