Rai Damodar Varta and Panchuka Festival of Orissa
Name of Festival : Rai Damodar Varta & Panchuka Festival
Time of celebration (Month)
Rai Damodar Varta & Panchuka Festival is celebrated in lunar month of karthika (September-October.)
Major Territory of Celebration
Rai Damodar Varta & Panchuka Festival is celebrated in Orissa
Worship in Festival
Hindu widows worship the Rai and Lakshmi or Damodar
About Festival
Rai Damodar Varta & Panchuka Festival is observed by the Hindu widows in Orissa.This fast is for twenty-five days from the first day of the lunar month of karthika in Orissa.In this fast they have only one meal of sun-dried rice, known as havisha. They worship the Rai and Lakshmi or Damodar.According to myth Rai, the daughter of the leader of the temple priests of Lord Jagannath at Puri was married to the Lord and thus was deified.Last five days sheworshipped Lakshmi and Narayan and it is called Bagapanchuka.During Kartika month on the day of Panchuka , married women worship Goddess Vrundavati (Tulsi). Tulsi Vivah is also observed during Panchuka vrata in Kartika month.
