Baisakha Month Calendar (April - May) 2025

Baisakh marks the transition from one year to another in the Hindu calendar. This culturally rich period holds deep religious and agricultural significance, especially in Odisha, India. Pana Sankranti, Maha Vishuba Sankranti, or Mesha Sankranti: this auspicious occasion heralds the Odia New Year with the introduction of the new Odia calendar, called Panji or Panjika. This day also marks the commemoration of Hanuman Jayanti, which is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Hanuman

The centerpiece of the festival is a distinctive ritual involving the drinking of Pana, a sweet beverage. As per tradition, this special drink is served in a clay pot suspended from a Basil (Tulsi) tree, letting the blessed water drip onto the plant below. Family members then partake of the sacred drink, making special offerings of horse gram flour, banana, and curd to the Basil plant. A part of this day is also marked by prayers and offerings to the deities for an auspicious start for the New Year.

The third day of Baisakha, Akshaya Tritiya, is one of the propitious days in the Hindu calendar, which encourages to start new business enterprises, assuring success and prosperity, also is the time when the lord Jagannath’s Chandana Yatra (summer festival) starts, as does the construction of chariots for the famous Rath Yatra. During this time the sacred journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra is prepared.

Baisakh thus carries special significance for the farming community of Odisha in as much as Baisakh is the starting point for the farming season. The month itself becomes a proper measure for various traditional farming rituals and ceremonies where farmers seek divine blessings for prosperous and good harvests through various cultural practices and observances.

The Odia calendar is the most eminent helper at this time, giving momentous information like daily sunrise and sunset timings, Purnima (full moon) dates, Amavasya (new moon) dates, auspicious marriage dates, thread ceremony timings, and festival schedules. The calendar thus aids devotees and the local populace in avoiding accidents as each family prepares on important dates and festivals observed during the Baisakha month, making participation in its important cultural and religious observances a given.

Some celebrations in Odisha are also known by certain distinct names. Pahili Raja is the first day; Mithuna Sankranti, the second day; and Bhudaaha or Basi Raja, the third day. The fourth and last day is known as Basumati snana, which involves women giving a bath to the grinding stone representing the earth goddess Bhumi by anointing it with turmeric paste, flowers, and sindoor. In addition to this, all kinds of seasonal fruits are offered to Mother Bhumi.

It is a festival of great significance in Odia culture; the Raja Festival celebrates fertility and womanhood. In 2025, Pahili Raja is to be celebrated on 14th June 2025, which is a Saturday in Odisha. This is also recognized as a state holiday and generally falls on the first day of the Asadha month in the Hindu calendar. The day preceding it is Sajabaja or the preparatory day. During these days, cleaning of the house, kitchen, and grinding stones is done, and various kinds of spices are ground for the three-day occasion. Women and girls take a nature break from work and dress in new saris with alata and ornaments, similar to the Ambubachi Mela festival.

This festival is one of the most well-known Odishan annual festivals. After three days of joy, it is a time for unmarried girls to invoke marriage ahead of them. They eat strictly uncooked, nourishing food-fish throughout the period of their fasts, and they avoid bathing, wearing shoes in the celebration events, and drinking salt. They pray for good children in the future. By far, the most colorful memories are those of swings strung over big banyan trees to mime folklore sung by girls enjoying the festive season.