Akshaya Tritiya
Akshaya Tritiya is widely celebrated in Kendrapara District. Akshaya Tritiya is also known as Akha Teej and it falls on the third lunar day of Shukla paksha of Vaishakha month.The birth of Lord Parshuram the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is also celebrated on this day. On this very day, Veda Vyas began to write the Mahabharta.
Kendrapara being an agrarian district , on this day farmers started sowing seeds with much puja performing on the fields.Akshaya means immortal or something that is indestructible and Tritaya means third lunar day. So anything that we do on Akshaya Tritiya grows with time and cannot be destroyed. Hence it is recommended to begin auspicious things.
Chandan Jatra
Chandan Jatra of Shri Shri Baldeb jew celebrated for 21 days in Kendrapara. To escape from extreme heat Shri Jew move to the Chandan pond . Except Shri Shri Baldevjew , Chanadn Yatra also celebrated in temples like Shri Baraha Jew at Aul, Shri Dadhibaman Jew at Demal , Shri Baladeb jew at Righagarh , Shri Shri Madam Mohan Jew at Nikirai Matha and Shri Shri Dadhibaman Jew at Asureswar.
Debasnan Purnima
Jyesta Purnima is known as ‘Debasnan Purnima’ . This festival is celebrated at Shri Baldevjew Temple and also other temples in the district. Shri Deities come to the ‘Snan Madap’ in ‘Pahandi’ . Sacred water of 108 pots used for bathing of the Deities on this day. At night Shri Mahaprabhu returned to the ‘Anasar Home’.
Jhulan Jatra
Jhulan jatra is celebrated in the month of ‘Bhadra”. This festival is celebrated in almost all temples of kendrapara District. Except Shri BaldebJew , Jhulan jatra celebrated at Aul ,Shri Gopal Jew Temple is famous in the state. This festival is celebrated from the year 1660 by the King of Aul Shri Nilakantha Deb. Jhulan jatra is celebrated for six days in Shri Baldevjew Temple and for ten days at Aul.
Ratha Jatra or Shri Gundicha Jatra
Ratha jatra festival celebrated on ‘Asadha Sukla Dwitiya’ is the mass festival of Odisha. Based on the world famous car festival at Puri , Ratha Jatra of Shri Baldeb jew also celebrated at Kendrapara for 9 days. People from all ways of life participated in this festival with much enthusiasm. ‘Brahma Taladhwaja ” is the name the Ratha and it is worlds highest Ratha. The height of ‘Brahma Taladhwaja ‘ is 65 feet and 1123 pieces of wood used for this Ratha.
Gaja Laxmi Puja
After Ratha jatra , Gajalaxmi Puja is the second mass festival celebrated by the people of Kendrapara. GajaLaxmi Puja was started in the 1922-23 in Kendrapara. On the arrival of ‘Badababaji ‘ Shri Shri Radharaman Deb to Kendrapara this festival was first celebrated in front of ‘Bada Kotha’. Gaja Laxmi Puja was first started in present Kendrapara in 1928 at Old Bust Stand. From that day Gaja Laxmi Puja being celebrated for 9 decades in Kendrapara. Starting from ‘Kumar Purnima’ this festival is celebrated for 7 days. Lakhs of people used to participate in this festival , which is concluded on Immersion celebration.
Dola jatra
Dola jatra is celebrated as ” Panchu Dola” in Kendrapara. Holi festival is celebrated after 5 days from Dola Purnima.
Olakana Melana
This festival is celebrated at village ‘Olakana’ situated at the extreme end of Derabish Block. ‘Olakana Melana’ was started by King of Aul Nilakantha Deb and was made famous by Brajasundar Deb. More that 150 Bimans from different temples , Maths, gathered here at the melana ground. Main attraction at the “Melana’ is Shri Shri Bhadeswar Mahadeb of Mahanga. Olakana Mela is celebrated on 14th full moon day.
