4 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Sambalpur's Sital Sasthi celebrations life-support for dying folk dance, music forms
SAMBALPUR: Every year, just ahead of the onset of monsoon, the streets of Sambalpur come alive with celebration of Sital Sasthi, marking the divine marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. But beyond the rituals, the festival turns into a grand stage where forgotten folk arts are reborn, and generations-old dance forms get the spotlight.
The festivities span over a week, transforming the streets of Sambalpur into a lively canvas of cultural expression. One of the most remarkable aspects of Sital Sasthi is its dedication to preserving and promoting folk art. Various folk dance forms, such as Gourbari, Kalas dance, Paika Akhada, Pashu Nrutya, Baja Salia, Chaiti Ghoda, Samparda, Parva dance, which were fading into oblivion, find a rejuvenated presence during the festival. These traditional dances are performed by local artistes, adding to the festival's festive fervour.
While the divine marriage took place on the night of May 31, the carnival will begin on the night of June 1 and end the next day. Artistes will perform at the carnival which marks the homecoming of the deities after the marriage.
Historian Deepak Panda said the Utkaliya Brahmin invited by Baliyar Singh, the fifth king of the Chouhan dynasty, introduced the tradition of Sital Sasthi to Sambalpur in 1679. The divine wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati was first celebrated at the Someswar Baba temple in Balibandha, initially as a ritualistic event. Over time, more devotees expressed interest in organising the festival.
'By the late 1700s, during Jayant Singh's reign, the Balunkeswar Shiva temple was established and the Jhadua Brahmins began parallel celebrations. To make processions more vibrant, organisers helped by local Gountias started inviting folk artistes, often driven by a spirit of competition,' he said.
