Chaiti ghoda is one of the popular folk dance forms of Odisha specially performed by aboriginal fishermen tribes like the Keot (Kaibarta). [1] [2] Chaiti represent the chaitra month of the year i.e. from March to April to the full moon in Baisakh i.e. from April to May and ghoda means horse in Odia and Hindi. [3] There is a story when lord rama crossed the river with the help of aboriginal Keot fishermen and in return lord rama given a horse to the fishermen. [4]
Dummy Horse made from wood, beautifully painted and surrounded by colorful cloths is used as a prop. All fishermen dance and their wives are co-dancers/singers. Men are called Rauta in this dance and women are called Rautani.
Two horses are used as black horse and white horse. [5] The festival is celebrated for eight days in honour of vasuli devi. Vasuli devi is the main deity of fishermen tribes. [6] It is celebrated to take the blessings of the deity of this ethnic group.
Vijayadashami also known as Dussehra, Dasara or Dashain, is a major Hindu festival celebrated at the end of Navaratri every year. It is observed on the tenth day in the Hindu calendar month of Ashvin, the seventh month of the Hindu Luni-Solar Calendar, which typically falls in the Gregorian months of September and October.
Jagannath is a deity worshipped in regional Hindu traditions in India and Bangladesh as part of a triad along with his brother Balabhadra and sister, devi Subhadra. Jagannath within Odia Hinduism is the supreme god, Purushottama, Para Brahman. To most Vaishnava Hindus, particularly the Krishnaites, Jagannath is an abstract representation of Krishna, and Mahavishnu, sometimes as the avatar of Krishna or Vishnu. To some Shaiva and Shakta Hindus, he is a symmetry-filled tantric form of Bhairava, a fierce manifestation of Shiva associated with annihilation.
Chaitra is a month of the Hindu calendar.
Chhath is an ancient Hindu Vedic festival historically native to the Indian subcontinent, more specifically, the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand and some parts of Eastern Uttar Pradesh and the Madhesh region of Nepal. The Chhath Puja is dedicated to the Solar deity (Surya) in order to thank him for bestowing the bounties of life on earth and to request the granting of certain wishes. This festival is observed by Biharis & Nepalese along with their diaspora.
Hanuman Jayanti is a Hindu religious festival that celebrates the birth of Hindu God Hanuman, who is immensely venerated throughout India and Nepal. This festival is celebrated on different days in different parts of India. In most states of India, the festival is observed either in Chaitra or In Karnataka, Hanuman Jayanti is observed on Shukla Paksha Trayodashi during Margashirsha month. The day is popularly known as Hanuman Vratamor in Vaishakha, while in a few states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, it is celebrated in Dhanu.
Chhau dance also spelled as Chau or Chhaau, is a semi classical Indian dance with martial, tribal and folk traditions, with origins in the East Indian region, and panned out to its variants in the states of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha. It is found in three styles named after the location where they are performed, i.e. the Purulia Chau of West Bengal, the Seraikella Chau of Jharkhand and the Mayurbhanj Chau of Odisha.
The tribes of Jharkhand consist of 32 Schedule Tribe inhabiting the Jharkhand state in India. In 1872, only 18 tribes were annexed in the schedule tribe from which Banjara, Bhatudi, Chik Baraik and Mahli were marked as semi-Hindu aboriginal and Kora as prolaterate Hindu. In 1931 census, including above four semi-Hindu aboriginal and Kora, a prolaterate Hindu, the number raised to 26 from 18 by adding four more in the annexure. They were Birajia, Godait, Karmali and Paharia, but Kisan excluded from list of 18th. In 1941 census, Baga, Bedia and Lohra included again taking Kisan in the annexure and number cames to 30th which was preveling till June 2003. Kanwar and Kol added on 8 June 2003 in the annexure and number of Schedule Tribe came to 32.
Maa Tarini is one of the embodiments of Shakti and is one of the chief presiding Goddesses in Odia culture. Her chief shrine is in Ghatgaon, Keonjhar District, Odisha.
Saptashrungi or Saptashringi is a site of Hindu pilgrimage situated 60 kilometres (37 mi) from Nashik in Indian state of Maharashtra. According to Hindu traditions, the goddess Saptashrungi Nivasini dwells within the seven mountain peaks. It is located in Nanduri, Kalwan taluka, a small village near Nashik in India. The Marathas and some Bhil tribes worship the goddess from a long time and some worship as their kuldaivat. There are 510 steps to climb the gad. Devotees visit this place in large numbers every day. The temple is also known popularly as one of the "three and half Shakti Peethas" of Maharashtra. The temple is also one among the 51 Shakti Peethas located on the Indian subcontinent and is a location where one of Sati's limbs, her right arm is reported to have fallen. Its half shaktipeeth among three and half shaktipeeth of Maharashtra.
Vasanthotsavam is an annual Seva celebrated in Tirumala to celebrate the arrival of spring season.
Pandit Chhannulal Mishra is a celebrated Hindustani classical singer from Banaras, a noted exponent of the Kirana gharana (school) of the Hindustani classical music and especially the Khayal and the 'Purab Ang' – Thumri.
Nuakhai or Navakhai or is an agricultural festival mainly observed by people of Western Odisha and Southern Chhattisgarh in India. Nuakhai is observed to welcome the new rice of the season. According to the calendar it is observed on panchami tithi of the lunar fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada or Bhadraba (August–September), the day after the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. This is the most important social festival of Western Odisha and adjoining areas of Simdega in Jharkhand, where the culture of Western Odisha is much predominant.
The Taratarini Temple on the Kumari hills at the bank of the River Rushikulya near Brahmapur city in Ganjam District, Odisha, India is worshiped as the Breast Shrine and manifestations of Adi Shakti. The Tara Tarini Shakti Peetha is one of the oldest pilgrimage centers of the Mother Goddess and is one of four major ancient Tantra Peetha and Shakti Peethas in India.
Navaratri is a Hindu festival that spans nine nights and is celebrated every year in the autumn. It is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the Indian cultural sphere. Theoretically, there are four seasonal Navaratri. However, in practice, it is the post-monsoon autumn festival called Sharada Navaratri that is the most observed in the honor of the divine feminine Devi (Durga). The festival is celebrated in the bright half of the Hindu calendar month Ashvin, which typically falls in the Gregorian months of September and October.
Danda Naata or Danda Jatra is one of the most important traditional dance festivals organized in different parts of South Odisha and particularly in the Ganjam District, the heartland of ancient Kalinga Empire. The Danda Naata festival is being held in the month of Chaitra of every year. As per Ram Prasad Tripathy's article, it is an ancient festival of the Kalinga kingdom and still alive in and around the ancient Kalinga capital Sampa/Samapa i.e modern day Ganjam District. The Participants of Danda are called Danduas and they pray Goddesses Kali and Shiva during this 13-, 18- or 21-day Danda period.
Pana Sankranti, also known as Maha Bishuba Sankranti, is the traditional new year day festival of Odia people in Odisha, India. The festival occurs in the solar Odia calendar on the first day of the traditional solar month of Meṣa, hence equivalent lunar month Baisakha. This falls on the Purnimanta system of the Indian Hindu calendar. It therefore falls on 13/14 April every year on the Gregorian calendar.
Rama Navami is a Hindu spring festival that celebrates the birthday of Rama, the seventh avatar of the god Vishnu. Rama is particularly important in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. The festival celebrates the descent of Vishnu as the Rama avatar, through his birth to King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya in Ayodhya. The festival is a part of the spring (Vasanta) Navratri, and falls on the ninth day of the bright half of Chaitra, the first month in the Hindu calendar. This typically occurs in the Gregorian months of March or April every year. Rama Navami is an optional government holiday in India.
Here is a list of glossary of Culture of India in alphabetical order:
Mahari is a ritualistic dance form from the eastern Indian state of Odisha that used to be performed at the temple of Lord Jagannatha at Puri by devadasi dancers called maharis. Following the abolition of the devadasi system, the dance has been discontinued at the Jagannatha Temple but is now performed on stage at many venues. The Mahari dance spurred the development of both Odissi and the Gotipua dance forms of Odisha. The Maharis have been among the foremost exponents of both traditional Odia dance and Odissi music.
The Maa Tarini Temple in Ghatgaon is a famous Hindu Goddess temple dedicated to Maa Tarini.