Pana Sankranti or Maha Vishuba Sankranti marks the beginning of the summer season. The day is also celebrated as Odia New Year, according to the local almanac. But how many kids are aware of the significance of Pana Sankranti? Orissa POST spoke to some children to find out and asked them how they celebrate the occasion.
Baibhav Routray, a Class III student of Cuttack, says, “Earlier I used to wish my friends ‘Happy New Year’ on January 1. But recently I learnt from my mom that Odia New Year coincides with the celebration of Pana Sankranti. She asks me to pray and seek the blessings of God to spend the rest of the year peacefully. This year, we have planned to visit the Hanuman Temple in Ranihat area to perform ‘pooja’ as this day is also observed as the birthday of Hanuman. I remember last year many volunteers served ‘Pana’, a traditional sharbat, to thirsty pedestrians who were out in the scorching heat of summer.”
Anshuman Debasis Mishra, a Class IX student of Guru Nanak Public School in Cuttack, says, “I belong to a city where every festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm. I know that Pana Sankranti is also observed as Odia New Year day. So, it is an occasion for double celebrations. In our locality, we prepare a special Pana, a thick syrup made from the pulp of the bilwa fruit, yogurt, ripe banana, cheese and jaggery. Cardamom and pepper powder are added to the Pana to make it more appetising. This apart, the residents in our colony organise a get together in the evening followed by a dinner. It’s a holiday, so kids play indoor games like carrom and Ludo. This year, the festival organisers have decided to offer free Pana to the passersby and the underprivileged.”
It’s a day of double celebration for Purbika Mahasupakar, a kindergarten student of BJEM School as she was born on the first day of Odia New Year. She says, “As we belong to the Sevayat (priest) family of Lingaraj temple, this day carries a lot of significance for us. We visit the temple in the early morning to be part of some temple rituals. Since it is also the first day of the year according to the Odia ‘Panji’ (old almanac), we celebrate it in a big way at home. A ‘bhajan’ programme is organised at our place followed by ‘Prasad Sevan’. My dad never forgets to bring my favourite cake to celebrate my birthday. But the cake-cutting ritual in the presence of my friends is postponed to next day for some reason.”
For Ritika Raiguru, Odia New Year day has been a special day since childhood. “My grandparents used to celebrate all Odia festivals with much pomp and Odia New Year was no exception. They followed every ritual religiously, so since childhood I have been a part of all the celebrations with my family. When we were in a joint family, it was a lot of fun, but after the demise of my grandparents, we have started living separately. I miss them a lot. On the day of Pana Sankranti, my younger brother and I visit a nearby temple. We enjoy Pana, the traditional Odia drink after returning home. We also play some indoor games as it is a holiday here,” says the Class V student of St. Xavier School, Bhubaneswar.
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