Sitalsasthi
shitalasasthi also known sital sasthi celebrated wedding shiva parvati major festival utkal brahmin commonly called odia brahman aranyaka brahmin commonly called jhadua brahman since age started year ago sambalpur king sambalpur brought utkal srotriya vaidika brahmin brahmin sasana village puri district locality nandapada oldest brahmin first started sitalsasti utsav hindu festival form carnival people artist different walk life participate making beautiful bringing true colour life every year celebrated towards end summer season sixth day bright fortnight month jyestha aim call rain god give reprieve scorching heat sun carnival period sambalpur attracts tourist nearby state abroad also sitalsasthi observed celebrate marriage parvati shiva depicted shiva purana tarakasura causing terror devastation world svarga martiya patala divinity approached vishnu find solution vishnu undone bramha bestowed boon tarakasura killed son shiva tarakasura knew well death first wife sati shiva left bereft withdrew world roamed wilderness living life austerity would never son shiva deep meditation vishnu suggested divinity approach shakti request take birth parvati request divinity shakti reincarnate sati parvati born daughter himalaya grew supremely beautiful young woman narada told many story shiva parvati persuaded seek shiva marriage parvati set meditation even age passed shiva meditation could broken divinity approached vishnu solve problem suggested vishnu kamadeva took bow threw love arrow shiva shiva woke opened third eye burnt kamadeva punishment since kamadeva took shape ananga result parvati meditation fulfilled marriage parvati shiva wanted test know deeply love incarnated batu brahmana short heighted brahmin told parvati oh parvati young beautiful choose marry old fellow life smasana graveyard wear tree bark snake ornament know maheswara shiva want marry half naked fellow look ugly one sure know kula gotra could ever happy nomad listening suggestion batu brahman got angry told oh brahmana ever reading much shastras still ignorant shiva foolish bothered whether old young ugly handsome marrying handsomeness attracted towards knowledge accept one else marriage satisfied test shiva appeared divine self jyeshta shukla paksha panchami got married king ajit singh son chatra sai chowhan dynasty – ruled sambalpur vaishnava belief faith used spend considerable amount time puri wished establish sambalpur religious place according vaidik line ancient time saiva upasak worship lord shiva brahmin present sambalpur kingdom king ajit singh requested utkal srotriya vaidik brahmin family puri settle sambalpur kingdomthey first settled nandapada locality sambalpur ajitpur sasan present day sasan villagethe king established several temple area ajit singh understood sambalpur famous saktipitha ancient time union shiva shakti worshipped dewan daxina ray suggested king establish contribute generously temple astha sambhu area temple huma leaning temple huma abode lord vimaleswar chief amongst deity asta sambhu’ already rebuilt king baliar singh ruin ancient temple built ganga vamsi king anangabhima devaiii later ajit singh built seven temple sambhus kedarnath ambabhona viswanatha deogaon balunkeshwar gaisama mandhata maneswar swapneshwar sorna bisweshwara soranda nilakantheswar nilji sasana village puri sitalsasti rukmini vivah two important festival utkal brahmin established ista dev lord balunkeswar balibandha sambalpur first started sitalsasti jatra royal patronage later aranyaka brahmin primarily worship jagannath follow vaishnava established loknath temple jhaduapada started sitalsasti jatra king ajit singh patronaged sitalsasthi jatrayatra marriage hara parvati sambalpur jyestha sukla pakshya panchami god goddess married like human being thal utha beginning patarpendi nirbandha guagunda invitation ganthla khula observed religiously ratha yatra jagannath treated ganadevata likewise manner shiva parvati also treated ganadevata festival one nominated family act father mother parvati offer hand parvati marriage shiva since shiva ‘swayam bhu’ one act father mother shiva start marriage procession along god goddess temple nrusingha nrisimha take charge lead procession bride residence family goddess welcome barat procession marriage idol kept beautifully decorated palanquin father mother relative parvati performs kanyadana marriage solemnised next day procession return temple mandir pravesh parvati folk dance folk music different form dance music different float main attraction carnival earlier carnival organized two locality sambalpur city ie nandapada nandapada later resident mudipada locality organized another carnival joint coordination committee look complete arrangement carnival nowadays sitalsasthi carnival could seen every street city spread nearby town bargarh jharsuguda hence become one important festival western odisha