Bhubaneswar: Markets across the city on Wednesday were buzzing with customers who made last minute trips to the stores to buy clothes, jewellery, cosmetics, traditional cakes, known as pithas, and an array of fruits to celebrate the three-day-long Raja festival, beginning from Friday.
“I look forward to Raja festival every year. This is a unique festival which celebrates womanhood, fertility and the advent of the monsoon season and is a major part of Odisha’s cultural heritage.Besides celebrating Odia culture and traditions, the new clothes and jewellery add to the festive spirit,” Priyanka Mishra, a resident of Bhubaneswar who was picking out a saree, said.
Cultural organizations have also stepped up their preparations, organizing community celebrations that include traditional swings, special cakes, variety of betels and other customs associated with the festival. “These events aim to foster a sense of community spirit and preserve the rich traditions of the Raja festival. Our organization has been planning Raja celebrations for months. We have organized community swings and prepared a variety of pithas. It is wonderful to see people come together to celebrate and keep our traditions alive,” Sachi Nandan Nayak, secretary of Saheed Nagar Durga Puja Committee, said.

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