The Festival of Dol Jatra
Recently, West Bengal celebrated the ‘Dol Utsav’ or we can say ‘Dol Jatra’, the festival of colours, this festival marks the onset of the spring. In Eastern India, the festival of spring is called by various names such as Dol Purnima, Dol Jatra, Dol Utsav and Basanta Utsav.
Dol Jatra, the festival of colours, is majorly celebrated in the states of Odisha, West Bengal, and Assam with very happiness and gusto. Dol Jatra or we can say, Dol Purnima is celebrated every year on a full moon day and is dedicated to Lord Krishna. The day also signifies the last festival of the year as per the Bengali calendar. In the year 2022, Dol Jatra was celebrated on the 18th of March.
History: According to the previous beliefs, on this day, Lord Krishna stated his love and affection for Radha. Therefore, people commemorate the reunion of Krishna and Radha by parading their beautiful and decorated idols in a palanquin. Coloured powder or “Abir” (as it’s called in Assam, Bengal, and Bihar) is smeared on the idols of Radha and Krishna while the chants of “Hari Bol” and by this, they keep the procession entertaining and lively.
How Is Dol Purnima Celebrated- Milk items are made, involving cream, homemade butter, and panchamrit, and are given to people. For the Bengalis, the festival is all-important because it states the birthday of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the popular Vaishnavi Saint who brought modern “sankartina” to Bengal and Odisha.
The 1st day of Dol Jatra is called “gondh”. The 2nd day is known as Bhor-Deul or Dol. It’s similar to the festival Holi where many people indulge in colours on each other. Throwing balloons, smearing Abir”, or practising “pichkaris” to spray water is common. The younger ones give respect to the elders by touching with a pinch of “abir” or colour in front of their feet. In return, older bless them with happiness and prosperity.
And, the 3rd day of Dol Jatra is similar to that of the 2nd day. The 4th day of Dol is called Sueri. This whole festival is seen as a mark of happiness and unity. It is celebrated in the northeastern and eastern states of the country India, Dol Jatra remains a fancy festival among Bengalis.
