Boys and the elderly men too rejoice in games of Kabaddi, Bagudi, "Taas khela" (the game of cards) or dice.
Swing rides on the Raja Doli are of course one of the major highlights of the festival. Be it in the villages or in the cities, one would invariably find decorated
dolis (swings) hung from the branches of a mango or a banyan tree at most places during this festival, and cheerful young girls would be enjoying their sway on the swings while singing the traditional folk song associated with Raja -
Banaste daakilaa Gaja,
Barasa ke thare asichi Raja,
Aasichi Rajalo gheni nua Sajabaaja...
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| Girls enjoying a swing ride during Raja festival |
To most Odias, however, Raja festivities essentially mean gorging on the sumptuous ethnic delicacies - the several varieties of pithas (or rice pancakes) and desserts that get prepared during this festival.
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An assortment of various pithas made during the Raja festival
Image courtesy: Mr. Saroj Swain |
Although several other varieties of pithas (pancakes) too are prepared during this festival like arisa pitha, chakuli pitha, manda pitha, chitau pitha or kakara pitha, but Raja parba is primarily synonymous with the poda pithas (or the burnt cakes). "Poda", in Odia, means burnt and pitha is a special type of cake that is usually prepared from a fermented batter of rice and skinned black gram dal (biri dali or urad dal). Traditionally black gram dal (biri dali or urad dal) wasn't used in Poda pithas. Rather a different kind of batter was prepared, by continuous slow cooking of rice powder being added gradually to molasses or palm jaggery, which was then mixed with grated coconut, some coconut slices, chopped ginger, salt, desi cow ghee, crushed green cardamom, crushed cashew nuts, raisins and edible soda. This batter was then cooked or baked over slow fire for almost an hour or so. Besides that, traditionally the poda pithas used to be prepared on the clay cook-stoves (or chulha) in the villages by wrapping the batter mixture in a banana leaf and then placing it over burning charcoal pieces. Thus they used to have a distinct smoky flavour. These days, however, we city folks bake poda pithas at home in pressure cookers or in microwave ovens.
When fully cooked, the Poda Pitha looks somewhat creamish brown in colour from the outside, with a lightly charred crust but remains soft from the inside. While serving, they are usually paired with either mutton curry or with dalma (the traditional vegetable curry of Odisha) during the Raja festival. Ripened jackfruit and mangoes too are popularly consumed during this festival.
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Raja parba is synonymous with Poda Pitha or the Burnt Cake
Image courtesy: Odisha Tourism |
Another important ritual associated with the festival is the consumption of the "Raja paana" (Raja Pana) or paan
(a betel-leaf that is specifically prepared for the occasion and contains areca nuts, lime-paste, green cardamom, clove, fennel seeds, gulkand and coconut powder).
The Raja feast is in fact considered incomplete if one doesn't chew on a "Raja paana"!
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| Raja Paana (betel-leaf that is exclusively prepared for the occasion) |
On the fourth and final day, the ritual of "Basumati snana" culminates the Raja festival. This puja is usually done in the wee hours of the morning. The grinding stone or sila puaa is first given a ritualistic bath by the women by applying turmeric paste on it and then washing it off with water. It is then decked up with sandalwood paste and vermilion. Flowers, bhog (or prasad) and oil lamps too are offered and blessings are sought from Bhu Devi or Mother earth, asking for a good monsoon season so that the farmers can have a good harvest.
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| The ritual of "Basumati Snana" culminates the Raja festival |
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