RAJO FESTIVAL OF ODISHA:

ରଜ

ବନସ୍ତେ ଡାକିଲା ଗଜ,
ବରଷକେ ଥରେ ଆସିଛି ରଜ,
ଆସିଛି ରଜ ଲୋ
ଘେନି ନୂଆ ସଜବାଜ ॥

ରଜ ଦୋଳି କଟ କଟ,
ମୋ ଭାଇ ମଥାରେ ସୁନା-ମୁକୁଟ,
ସୁନା ମୁକୁଟ ଲୋ
ହେଉଥାଏ ଝକମକ ॥

ପାନ ଖିଆ ରସିକ ପାଟି,
ଖୋଜି ବୁଲୁଥିଲା ରାଜାଙ୍କ ହାତୀ,
ଢାଳି ଦେଇଗଲା ଶିରରେ,
ରାଜା ହୋଇଗଲେ ରଜରେ II

May 28^th is being celebrated as world menstruation day from 2014. But this sex education on the streets has no meaning as long as people live in fantasy world. To Odiyas the importance of menstruation hygiene was known for centuries but the world authority to celebrate yet another day recently introduced this “menstruation hygiene day (MHD)”. ‘Rajo’ was one of them to teach the young girls about these monthly periods through a festival.

Our state is dependent on agriculture hence this festival has some meaning behind it. There are three types of Odiyas—1.Farmers—2.Pujaris (those who worship books, Gods, Women & Own profession)—Toutors (chit funds, middle man, politicians etc).Hence most of our festivals are cultivation oriented. Odiyas celebrate the advent of monsoon; the joyous festival is arranged for three days by the villagers. Though celebrated all over the state it is more enthusiastically observed in the districts of Cuttack, Puri and Balasore. The first day is called "Pahili Raja" (Prior Raja), second is "Raja" (Proper Raja) and third is "Basi Raja" (Past Raja).

According to popular belief as women menstruate, which is a sign of fertility, so also Mother Earth menstruates. So the three days of the festival are considered to be the menstruating period of Mother Earth. During the festival all agricultural operations remain suspended. As in Hindu homes menstruating women remain secluded because of impurity and do not even touch anything and are given full rest, so also the Mother Earth is given full rest for three days for which all agricultural operations are stopped. Significantly, it is a festival of the unmarried girls, the potential mothers. They all observe the restrictions prescribed for a menstruating woman. The very first day, they rise before dawn, do their hair, anoint their bodies with turmeric paste and oil and then take the purificatory bath in a river or tank. Peculiarly, bathing for the rest two days is prohibited. They don't walk bare-foot do not scratch the earth, do not grind, do not tear anything apart, do not cut and do not cook. During all the three consecutive days they are seen in the best of dresses and decorations, eating cakes and rich food at the houses of friends and relatives, spending long cheery hours, moving up and down on improvised swings, rending the village sky with their merry impromptu songs. Sex is prohibited during this time because of change in pH, chances of infection increases with both the partners and septicemia may result.

Our old system had everything to learn but we have changed our self due to foreign cultures and laugh at these ideas as—out dated.