Pana Sankranti, or Maha Bishuba Sankranti, is the Odia new year, the day the Sun enters Mesha. It takes its name from pana, a cool drink of bel fruit, jaggery, curd, grated coconut and spices, which is offered to the gods and handed to everyone in the first heat of summer. A small clay pot with a hole in its base is hung over the tulsi plant, and drips water on it through the day.
The story
The dripping pot, the Basundhara Theki, stands for rain, and for the care owed to the earth in the hot months; water is also set out for birds and for passers-by.
The day ends a month of penance in the south and west of the state. In Danda Nata, devotees of Shiva and Kali called Danduas keep thirteen or twenty-one days of vows and perform through the day in burning dust and through the night in dance. It closes today, as does Jhamu Jatra, when devotees walk on coals.
How the day goes
- PanaMade at home and given to all comers.
- Basundhara ThekiThe dripping pot over the tulsi chaura.
- ChhatuaFlour of roasted gram is offered with the pana.
- New PanjiThe almanac for the year is brought into use.
- Meru JatraThe closing day of Danda Nata, with feats of penance.
Why this date
Pana Sankranti is the civil day on which the Sun enters Mesha. It falls on 14 April in most years.
Pana Sankranti in other years
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Monday | |
| 2026 | Tuesday | |
| 2027 | Wednesday | |
| 2028 | Thursday | |
| 2029 | Saturday | |
| 2030 | Sunday |
More Odia festivals
2 AprilHanuman Jayantiହନୁମାନ ଜୟନ୍ତୀ
19 AprilAkshaya Tritiyaଅକ୍ଷୟ ତୃତୀୟା
26 MarchRama Navamiରାମ ନବମୀ
15 JuneRajaରଜ
3 MarchDola Purnimaଦୋଳ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣିମା
16 JulyRatha Jatraରଥଯାତ୍ରା
Where to see Pana Sankranti
In Odisha
- Taratarini Temple, GanjamOdishaA hilltop Shakti Peetha above the Rushikulya; the Chaitra Jatra here ends at the new year.
- Sarala Temple, JhankadaOdishaJhamu Jatra, with fire-walking, at the shrine of the goddess of the poet Sarala Dasa.
- Cuttack Chandi TempleOdishaThe city's guardian goddess, visited on the first day of the year.
Across India
- AmritsarPunjabVaisakhi, on the same solar new year.
- GuwahatiAssamRongali Bihu, the Assamese new year, kept for seven days.
- KolkataWest BengalPoila Boishakh follows the next day.