Maha Vishuva Sankranti, also known as Pana Sankranti, marks the beginning of the Odia New Year. It falls on April 14th every year, when the Sun enters the Mesha Rashi (Aries) — a significant celestial event. This day is observed with much devotion and joy across Odisha, and it also aligns with the solar New Year celebrations in many parts of India (like Baisakhi in Punjab, Vishu in Kerala, and Pohela Boishakh in Bengal).

🕉️ Spiritual & Cultural Significance

Maha Vishuva Sankranti symbolizes:

  • The start of the new solar year.
  • A time of renewal, good health, and blessings.
  • Honoring the Sun God (Surya) and Lord Hanuman, especially in temples like Sarala Temple and Hanuman temples across Odisha.

🙏 Puja Rituals of Maha Vishuva Sankranti

  • Holy Bath & Cleanliness:
    • Devotees begin the day with a ritual bath, wear new clothes, and clean their homes and prayer spaces to welcome the new year with purity.
  • Offering Pana (Sacred Drink):
    • The festival is famously known as Pana Sankranti because of the offering of a cooling drink called ‘Pana’, made of:
      • Water
      • Jaggery
      • Raw mango or bael
      • Curd
      • Black pepper
      • Basil (Tulsi)
    • A pot with a small hole is hung over a Tulsi plant or a Shiva Linga, allowing water to drip slowly — symbolizing coolness and life.
  • Worship of Lord Hanuman:
    • Special prayers are offered to Lord Hanuman, who is believed to have been born on this day.
    • Devotees visit Hanuman temples, offer flowers, vermilion, sweets, and chant Hanuman Chalisa.
  • Charitable Acts:
    • Devotees perform daan (charity) like distributing pana, clothes, fruits, or water to the needy — believed to bring great punya (spiritual merit).
  • Special Dishes:
    • Pakhala bhata (fermented rice water), chhatua (roasted gram flour mix), fruits, and pana are commonly prepared and shared.

🌼 Message of Maha Vishuva Sankranti

This festival encourages us to begin the new year with purity of thought, body, and action. It is a time to thank nature, embrace inner balance, and spread coolness and kindness to counter the heat of summer — both literally and spiritually.