Sital Sasthi

The Hindu festival of Sital Sasthi celebrates the divine marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. It is observed on the ‘sasthi’ (6th day) during the ‘Shukla Paksha’ (the waxing phase of moon) in the ‘Jyestha’month of the traditional Hindu calendar. This date corresponds to the months of May-June in the Gregorian calendar. Sital Sasthi is a one-of-its-kind festival that is celebrated in a carnival form. Artists and individuals from different forms of life come together and participate in the celebrations, and bring out the most beautiful and true colors of life. Sital Sasthi is celebrated with immense fervor and gaiety all over India, especially in the Sambalpur district of Orissa. The Sambalpur carnival on Sital Sasthi is a popular event that attracts thousands of tourists from all over India and abroad.

Significance of Sital Sasthi

As stated in the ‘Shiv Purana’ the day of Sital Sasthi commemorates the marriage of Shiva and Parvati, the divine couple, and is celebrated since ancient times. According to the legends, Parvati (an incarnation of Goddess Sati) performed rigorous ‘jap’ and ‘tap’ to get Lord Shiva as her husband. On the day of ‘Jyestha Shukla Paksha Sasthi’, Shiva was pleased and satisfied with her austerity, and the divine marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati took place. Lord Kartikeya was then born who later killed the demon named ‘Tarakasura’. Sital Sasthi is also observed as the ‘Monsoon Wedding’ of Lord Shiva and Parvati as it marks the beginning of the monsoon season. The severe austerity of Lord Shiva is symbolic of the intense heatwave during the summer season. People, especially farmers celebrate the beginning of the monsoon with this divine wedding on Sital Sasthi.

Rituals for Sital Sasthi

• The festival of Sital Sasthi is observed as the wedding ceremony of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. In Sambalpur, it is celebrated as the ‘Sital Sasthi Yatra Festival’ and the festivities last for 5 days. During this festival, a family of the region is chosen to play the role of Parvati’s father and mother and they present their hands to Shiva for marriage. As Lord Shiva is known as ‘Swayam Bhu’, no one plays the role of his parents.
• The first day of the festival is known as ‘Patra Pendi’ day. On this day the chosen family adopts Parvati. After two days, the idol of Goddess Parvati arrives at the house of her adopted parents. As a part of the ritual, from this adopted home, the bride (idol of Goddess Parvati) is taken in a grand procession in the night for the marriage ceremony.
• Much in the same way, Lord Shiva, accompanied by other Hindu Gods and Goddesses, arrives at the marriage ceremony. This divine procession is lead by Lord Narsimha and Lord Hanuman.
• All the normal rituals and customs are performed even for this divine marriage ceremony. The celebrations are witnessed by devotees from the neighboring states and beyond. After the ceremonies, on the following evening, the divine couple begins their town journey, referred to as ‘Nagar Parikrama’. This event is also popularly known as ‘Sital Sasthi Yatra’. Folk music, fold dance, and other such events form the chief attraction of this carnival.
• On the occasion of this marriage ceremony, a large number of ‘Hijadas’ or ‘Eunuchs’ come to participate in the celebrations. This is so as Lord Shiva was also referred to as ‘Ardhanarishwara’ (half woman half man).