Prathamashtami
A few days before Prathamshtami, it is a common sight to see people in Odisha buying turmeric leaves in bunches for the festival of Prathamashtami which falls on the Krishnapaksha Ashtami tithi of the Margashira month.
The turmeric plants flourish around this time & to honour the firstborn in every household, "enduri pitha" is made with a batter stuffed with a sweet filling of coconut, cottage cheese & jaggery, wrapped in turmeric leaves and steamed.
The ritual involves the Aarati of the eldest child by the mother and other female relatives and Ganesha, Shashti devi and the family deity are worshipped. The women offer the Pitha and Khiri to Sathi Devi, light the lamp and do arati to the Goddess, after which the first-borns get honoured.
Traditionally, the new clothes along with sweets and other delicacies arrive from the mamu’s (maternal uncle) home, who are called ‘ashtamibandhu’ along with a visit to the uncle’s place for a feast of mua, khiri, dalma and pitha .
Every year the "Prathamastami bhara" from Madhab jew temple in Niali, Cuttack is sent to the Jagannath temple, Puri with great fanfare and the Niali temple considers themselves to be maternal uncles of the Puri deities.
Although there are no records in Puri temple to establish this ritual, Lord Jagannath is the God of the people and every Odiya happily forges a family connection with him.
A procession of saints, sankirtan groups carrying fruits, coconut, Khandua silk for the deities reach the Puri Srimandir well in time for the prathamshtami rituals in Puri temple.
This sacred day is also known as Saubhagini Ashtami, Kaal Bhairav Ashtami and Papanashini Ashtami. Kaal Bhairav is one of the fiercest forms and manifestations of Lord Shiva. It is believed that Lord Bhairav was born on this day and people celebrate this day as his birth anniversary, especially in Varanasi and Vaishno Devi.
Lord Lingaraj also emerges from his sanctorum in a palanquin to visit a tank called Papanasini on his way to Kapalimatha, his maternal uncle’s house.
Papanasini Tank story: According to legend, a sage named Sajoti performed severe penance here without taking food and water for a long time. Satisfied with his penance, Lord Siva appeared before the sage and told him to ask for a boon. The sage requested Lord Siva for a kunda (tank) that would cleanse the sins of human beings. Then the Lord created this tank, which is known as Papanasini.
Kapila Teertham
The presiding deities of the kapila matha are Lord Baruneswar and Goddess Banadevi, the maternal uncle and aunt of Lord Lingaraj.
Lord Lingaraj
The religious origins of the festival have gradually entwined cultural and religious significance and evolved into a unique festival of the Odiyas.
Prathamastami mornings are filled with the aroma of turmeric leaves, the smell of marigold flowers and the sound of the conch in every Oriya household.
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