Basanti Durga Puja (also known as Vasanti Durga Puja) is the spring edition of Durga Puja celebrated across Eastern India, particularly in Odisha, West Bengal, and Assam. Falling during the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of…
Hingula Yatra (also known as Hingula Yatra or Patasani Yatra) is a unique, historic festival celebrated in Talcher (Angul district, Odisha). Held annually for 9 to 13 days starting on Vishuva Sankranti (Pana Sankranti) in…
Chhau Dance is a semi-classical Indian dance form with martial, tribal, and folk roots native to eastern India—specifically Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. In 2010, UNESCO inscribed Chhau onto the Representative List of the Intangible…
Niladri Bije is the grand concluding festival of the world-famous Ratha Yatra in Puri, Odisha. The term Niladri refers to Srimandir (the abode of Lord Jagannath on the Blue Mountain), while Bije means “royal entrance.”…
Bahuda Yatra is the grand return chariot festival of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Sudarshana in Puri, Odisha. The word Bahuda in Odia translates to “return.” It takes place on the ninth day…