Andhra Pradesh   

Peasants’ festival

BERHAMPUR: Young girls and peasants in Orissa are in a festive mood to celebrate the three day ‘Raja’ festival commencing Thursday. The festival coincides with the onset of monsoon on the Orissa coast.

The fields are now ready for sowing activity. This is also the festive time for girls. They are now allowed to perform any menial work during the three days. They wear new clothes and visit friends and relatives. They greet others with special sweetened scented ‘paan’ called ‘Raja Paan’.

The festival is incomplete without the swings.

Swings prepared from ropes, bamboos and even roots of trees are hung and girls spend their time on them singing traditional ‘Raja songs’.

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Peasants’ festival

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