Rajo (2017)

"Menstruation is a part of life cycle and a part of reproduction process. It signifies fertility. So it's important that festivals like Rajo are celebrated" Its a four-day long festival signifies beginning of solar month of Ashadha or Mid June from which the season of rain starts. It inaugurates and welcomes the agricultural year all over Odisha. Odias believe that the Mother Goddess Earth the divine wife of Lord Bishnu undergoes Menstruation cycle during the first three day an act linked to the menstrual cycle of an unmarried girl or woman. The first day of this festival is pahili rajo (prior rajo), second is rajo sankranti (proper rajo) third is bhuin daana (post rajo) and the forth day is called as Basumati Snana/Gadhua (ceremonial bath of Mother Earth). As per the Odias tradition the menstruating girls and woman remain restricted because of impurity they are not allowed to take a bath, cook food or touch anything and are given full rest from all the household activities. During the Rajo festival the unmarried girls and woman again accept these restriction. In the same way the Mother Earth is given full rest for three days for which all-agricultural operation are stopped. These three-day the girls and woman wear new dresses and sarees and decorates themselves in the best look and attire, then the lasses spend long cherry hours swing on swings with melodious folk songs.