Bada Osha (ବଡ଼ ଓଷା)

Bada Osha (Odia: ବଡ଼ ଓଷା) is one of the important festivals in Odisha. Bada means big, and Osha means Brata. People usually do fasting in the Oshas. On this day, people worship Lord Shiva for his blessings.

The rituals of this Osha started from the beginning of Kartika Sukla Pratipada. i.e. the next day of Diwali Amavasya. Both men and women do fasts in this festival together. In other festivals, only one person used to fast, but it's joint fasting.

This Osha is observed in the month end of October or in November during Kartika Masa. According to the Odia calendar, this festival is observed on the Kartika Sukla Chaturdasi (the fourteenth day of the bright fortnight of Kartika Masa).

Bada Osha is the main festival at Dhabaleswar Pitha. The day-long fast culminates in prayers and offerings to Lord Shiva. Those who are fortunate visit the Dhabaleshwar temple with its serene and spiritual ambiance and the others observe it in their homes. This prasad offered on this day is called Gaaja Pitha (ଗାଜ ପିଠା). This pitha is pure white in color.

One of our friends Seenu Mohapatra had shared these photographs. That Gaja Pitha photo was taken by Sujata Singh mam.