File picture of Dol purnima celebrations at a temple in Puri

Bhubaneswar, March 14: Colours, sweets and thandai make for a perfect Holi with friends and family, but many enjoy the spiritual side of festival by observing traditional rituals of Dol yatra.

The celebrations of the devotional and spiritual fair continue for five days in most regions when the various avatars of Lord Vishnu are taken around the city to devotees’ houses.

The festivities begin mostly from Phagu Dasami, when the deities are carried on palanquins or bimanas with much fanfare along with a musical troupe, especially performing at devotional events, called kirtan mandalis.

The palanquins are decorated with flowers and fresh seasonal fruits, especially mangoes. The procession begins during the evening when devotees scatter abir (a natural red powdered colour) on to the deities. The parade visits door-to-door when people smear colours and offer various eatables to the deities.

These rituals are observed in Puri, Cuttack and many other regions in the state. In Bhubaneswar, the Ananta Vasudev temple of Old Town and the Iskcon temples are major venues for the celebrations of dol yatra. The rituals culminate on the day of Holi, which is also observed as Dol Purnima.

“The Dol yatra is a special occasion at the Jagannath temple when the Lord is dressed up in the chacheri besa. During these five days, starting from the Phagu Dasami to Dol Purnima (Holi), everyday devotees throw abir on to Lord Jagannath,” said expert on Jagannath culture, Pandit Surya Narayan Rathasharma.

The victory of Lord Vishnu on mythological devil Hiranyakashyap’s sister Holika is also observed at the Jagannath temple in Puri. “The last day is kept aside to observe the ritual of Holika daahan, before which palanquin processions make rounds within and outside the temple carrying Dol Gobinda with Bhudevi and Sridevi, everyday,” he added.

In Cuttack, not only are deities of the local areas carried from house to house every evening for these five days, after the processions all the kirtan mandalis get together for melana or a revelry of devotional music till morning at the Chandni Chowk Melana Ground.

“While sometimes deities even stay at devotees place where we observe the melana, mostly it is at Chandni Chowk that the kirtan groups join,” said Bhikari Das, a member of the Cuttack Mahanagar Nadiya Sankirtan Mahamandali.“There are 105 kirtan groups in the city that join the festivities of Dol yatra and play cymbals, mridang and various other instruments along with devotional songs,” he said.

Devotees cherish the annual festival as they get a chance to play colours with the deities.

“Friends and family get together during the occasion when the deities are brought to our house and we play Holi with the Lord. It is a divine feeling,” said Rabindra Sahoo, a member of the Buxi Bazar kirtan group.