Early morning, while I was sitting in my balcony, with a cup of tea ,watching the blooms in my garden, I looked down the terrace, where I noticed a spread of 4 o' clock blooms in our lawn, seemingly looking at me, with glory.. I was transported back to a conversation about Khudurukuni Osha that I had, a few days ago with my SIL.. Memories swirled like autumn leaves, rustling with nostalgia. The warmth, the serenity, the enthusiasm I felt about the memories of Khudurukuni Osha, we used to celebrate back in our childhood.. I felt compelled to write them down...
Khudurukuni Osha is a festive rituals celebrated in eastern Odisha by unmarried girls for the good health, happiness n prosperity of their brothers... It falls on Sundays, on the month of Bhadraba ( August-September), starting on the Sunday following Rakhi Purnima, also known as Bhalukuni Osha. It portrays the sanctity and beauty of the relationship between brother and sister. During this festival, young girls fast and worship Maa Mangala to seek the safety, prosperity, and good health of their brothers. It continues for 4-5 consecutive Sundays, during which Maa Mangala is worshipped in the evening with great devotion..
This is another cherished memories of my childhood...
It is one time of the year, which we would be looking forward with lots of enthusiasm n excitement... Every home in our neighborhood would be geared up in a festive mood.
A day before Puja, We would bring the idol of Maa Mangala, home, her face wrapped with newspaper as we were not supposed to see it before Puja..
On the day of Osha, we would wake up early in the morning, (though it would be a Sunday, but the excitement would wake us up). We would take bathe, perform regular puja n then start preparations for the evening..
We would collect varieties of Flowers( Mandara, Kaner, Aparajita n many more..), mango leaves, durva, barakoli patra, banana leaves n a lots of croton n ornamental leaves & branches for decoration.. (the irony n funny part is, every lanes would have a girls gang, who would sneak into the neighbourhood garden in the darking hour of the night to steal the flowers n save it for the next day..😂, so we would try to save our flowers😜).. Then, in the afternoon, after lunch (a delicious no onion garlic arua dalma platter), at around 4-5 pm, Maa n Me would decorate the floor with Chitta( paste made of rice flour n water), in our home temple, start decorating the Asanas n Khatuli ( a wooden seat, where Maa Khudurukuni will sit) with oranamental leaves, branches & flowers, while my sister would be having playtime with her friends... I remember we had Rangani flower( 4 o' clock) plant which was spread over with full of pink blooms in our garden. It used to bloom in plenty at that time of the year. We would collect them fresh. My mother would be making beautiful braided garlands with them without thread n needle.. We would be excitedly watching the process asking innocent questions & sharing gossips...🤗.. At around 7 pm we would start Puja, with devotion... Draped in elegance & adorned with flowers, vermilion & sandalwood, Maa Mangala would be looking beautifully divine.. The fragrance of incense sticks, diya, jhuna, fresh flowers, prasads offerings, the hula-huli & sankha dhwani would fill the atmosphere with divine vibes. Various fruits, coconut, ukhuda, chhena etc are offered.. We would read the Khudurukuni katha, the story of Ta'poi n her brothers... Then after Puja, we would give puspanjali n have prasad.. then would visit our neighbours home to have a look at their Puja arrangements n receive blessings while they would come to our home to have darshan as well. We had a tradition of sharing prasads with neighbours...
On the last Sunday of Khudurukuni Osha, there is a tradition to make Kakara Manda pitha for prasad. My mother would prepare them. We would do our puja with the same enthusiastic mood which we had on the first pali, but with a touch of emotions as we would be bidding farewell to Maa Mangala .. That day would be the Visarjan day.. Few hours after Puja, we would gather with our neighbours, each with our respective Idols at the lake n perform Visarjan with a happy heart, n pray to Maa Mangala to return again next year..
As we grew up n went away for higher studies, we would always try to be home for atleast one Sunday during the festival.
pc: image taken from internet After my marriage I would miss it , but continue to cherish these memories forever....
While writing this, I could feel those beautiful moments again , I could sense the presence, smell the fresh flowers, dhoopa n jhuna... Those were the beautiful days forever etched in my memory...
No comments:
Post a Comment