Gamha Purnima is an Indian religious festival in Odisha. This festival is celebrated in the month of Sharavana months.
Gamha Purnima is celebrated through out Odisha and Bhubaneshwar despite the inflow of urbanisation and increased mechanisation of agricultural process, Cow s and bullocks were ritualistically worshipped on the day of "Gamha Purnima".
Occasion of Gamha Purnima
The full moon day that marks the end of Hindu month of Shravana is celebrated as "Gamha Purnima". This is also the day on which "Raksha Bandhan" throughout India.
Importance of Gamha Purnima
The great enthusiasm of Gamha Purnima helps to enhance love between sisters and brothers through tying of rakhis, the agrarian tradition related to the day has not yet died out. "Gamha Purnima" is believed to be the birthday of Lord Balarama, who represented agrarian culture of India.
Concentration of Gamha Purnima
In most rural areas as well as urban pockets like Berhampur city, Odisha, the families who want keep their agrarian links alive celebrated the day with traditional fervour. They worshiped cows and bullocks and tied decorated rakhis to the horns of bovine folk. It was interesting to note that several Telugu families living in Ganjam district have also started observing this Odia tradition. Usually Telugu cattle owners worship their bovine stock during the month of Kartika. But several Telugu families owning cows and bullocks worshiped them on the day of "Gamha Purnima". In village areas the farmer families as per the tradition also worshipped their wooden ploughs that are dragged by bullocks.
Gamha Dian in Gamha Purnima
"Gamha Dian" is also part of this agrarian tradition. It was also arranged in most rural areas as well as at some streets of the city. As part of the tradition children as well as youths ran and jumped over makeshift ramps to grab fruits and other gifts hung to a rope at a height.
This article is a stub. You can enrich by adding more information to it. Send your Write Up to content@indianetzone.com
