‘Rajaswala’ is the Sanskrit term for Menstruation. Derived from this word, the progressive monsoon festival of Odisha is named ‘Raja’. It is believed that during the dawn of the monsoon Mother Earth goes under her menstrual cycle for the year citing fertility of the earth. As an agriculture-first state, Odisha observes the occasion with much more energy & happiness. Destigmatising menstruation worldwide, the state has acclaimed applauds from many for this festival. Even after all this praise & proclaims, are we really that advanced to take menstruation naturally? If so, then why do we identify it as ‘impure blood’?
How much do we know about the festival & the hidden meaning behind it? In an attempt to satisfy my question-complexity I tried to find out more about the festival & things associated with it. Here is the result of my un-inclusive research.
Raja Parba Culture in Odisha:
I asked around my circle if anyone knows regarding the initiation of the festival. Searched Google, Wikipedia & many more. There is a mention on Wiki that during the middle ages (6th to the 16th century), the festival started to be celebrated widely across the region of Kalinga (then Odisha) & hinted at its existence much before that. In the early middle age, the uprising of Vaishnavism initiated the popularisation of many festivities across Kalinga. Raja was also one of them.
Like other Odia Hindu festivals, Raja follows the conventional tithi-nakshatra of Hindu astrology. It is celebrated during the transmigration of the Sun from Brusha Rashi (Taurus) to Mithuna Rashi (Gemini), also known as Mithuna Sankranti. Sankranti marks the beginning of a month in the Odia Solar calendar. The festival of Raja is celebrated in 5 days from which the last four days are considered to be more important. The days are known as:
Raja Sajabaja (Preparation)
Pahili Raja (1st Raja)
Raja Sankranti (Middle Raja)
Bhumi Dahan (Late Raja)
Basumati Snana (Bathing of Mother Earth)
During this festival, Mother Earth is considered as a woman who is going through her period and is treated as such. As Odisha is an agricultural state, ploughs, tractors & other equipment are used in farming. However, during this festival earth is provided with an ample amount of rest for the pain She is going through. During this period, farmers, housewives, children, in total everyone are refrained from doing anything that may put pressure on mother earth. For that reason, preparations start from day 1 to sustain for the next four days.
As per rituals, bathing is restricted during the three days (Pahili Raja to Bhumi Dahana). For that reason, unmarried girls & potential mothers observe the festival by doing their hair, anointing their bodies with turmeric paste and oil and then taking the purificatory bath in a river or tank on the first day. They are also not allowed to walk barefoot on the ground and are directed to use Patunga (the outer layer/integument of the banana tree) as slippers even inside the house.
The festival is celebrated with pomp & joy for all 4 days. People can be seen enjoying their time with their friends & family playing games, eating Poda Pithas (burnt Odia cakes), & doing many more fun activities. Swings are one of the main attractions of this festival. It is believed that to reduce the pressure on mother earth, children were encouraged to play on swings during these times.
Menstruation, Still A Taboo:
Even after celebrating a joyous festival like Raja, solely based on menstruation, it is so hard to believe that we are still isolating menstruation as a taboo. When I asked in my circle regarding the beliefs surrounding menstruation in Odia households, a ceremonial ritual was highlighted which is observed when a girl child gets her first period. But after that, isolation comes as an everlasting friend with menstruation.
Let’s take this opportunity to understand Menstruation, shall we?
Menstruation, or period, is normal vaginal bleeding that occurs as a monthly cycle. The body of a woman prepares for pregnancy every month. If no pregnancy occurs, the uterus, or womb, sheds its lining. The menstrual blood helps dead tissues from inside the uterus pass out of the body through the vagina smoothly.
As per Hindu beliefs, death is considered an inauspicious moment in life. It is joined by last rites & many more formalities to let the soul reach its destination smoothly from this material world to the spiritual realm. Following that theory, menstruation is also considered as similar to the end of life as the tissues in a woman’s womb, that should have helped in forming a life, dies & later passes through the vagina with the help of blood. It is those beliefs that stigmatise the normal flow of life.
Menstruation is the reason a woman’s womb matures with time enabling the possibility of life to form. If the process is considered impure & stigmatised as taboo, then what is the meaning of our lives?
The Role of Faith in A Taboo:
As we have discussed before, the existence of the Raja Festival was hinted at even before the start of the Middle age. If we consider the origin of the Kalinga & Odia language, we’re one of the first tribes to have an identity after the Vedic yugas. Meaning the celebration of the menstrual cycle of Mother Earth has been there since Vedic times. During the medieval time, the association of Hindu Goddess Bhu Devi (Mother Earth) with Hindu God Shree Jagannatha as one of His wives has only resulted in the boost of the festivity. As the preserver & guard of Odia sanskruti & parampara, Shree Jagannatha, once again, escalated the observance of a menstrual festivity in an attempt to destigmatize the natural process of fertility & life. If God Himself encourages us to celebrate His phenomenal creation, who are we to stand against it?