Sankranti, Sankraman
Sankranti is celebrated on sankraman (transition) day i.e. when Sun transits from one zodiac to the next. According to surya siddhanta, Vedic hindu calender consists of 12 months. There are 12 sankrati days in a year and each Sankranti day marks the beginning of the new month in Hindu Solar Calendar.
All twelve Sankranti(s) in the year are considered highly auspicious for performing ancesteral rituals (Shraddha and Tarpanam) and daana-punya activities. Only particular time duration before or after each Sankranti moment is considered auspicious for Sankranti related activities.
Mithuna Sankranti, Mituna Sankranthi, Mithuna Sankraman
Mithuna Sankranti is observed when the sun moves from Vrishabha Rashi (Tarus) to the Mithuna Rashi (Gemini). This day is the solar calender’s Third month and is known as Mithunam onth in Malayalam, Aani in Tamil, Asharh in Bangali.
Mithuna Sankranti is also called as Mithuna Sankraman in southern parts of India and celebrated as Raja Parba in Odisha. For Mithuna Sankranti sixteen Ghatis ( 1 day = 60 Ghatis) after the Sankranti moment are considered auspicious and the time window that exists between Sankranti moment to that moment is considered auspicious for all Dan-Punya activities. Performing Sankramana Snan is pitru tarpan and shradha are the important rituals of this day. During this Sankranti time vastra daan (gifting cloths) is considered highly auspicious.
Raja Parba
In Odisha, Mithuna Sankranti is observed as Raja Parba. This festival starts on Mithuna Sankranti day and is observed for three days. preparations (Sajabaja) start on a day before Mithuna Sankranti day. People clean their houses, kitchen and grinding stones. Spices and other usable things are also prepared on this day. For the next three days women and girls take rest from work and wear new Saree, Alata and other ornaments. They spend time with their friends and relatives, moving up and down on improvised swings. They sing Special songs meant to be sung during these days only.
The last is celebrated as Vasumati snan. on this day, ladies bath the grinding stone as a symbol of mother earth (Bhumi) with turmeric paste and decorate it with the flowers, sindoor etc. All types of seasonal fruits are offered to the mother earth.
