Bhubaneswar, June 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday extended his greetings on the occasion of Raja Parba.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister said, “Warm wishes on the joyous occasion of Raja Parba. May this special festival deepen the spirit of happiness and harmony in society. May everyone be blessed with prosperity and good health.”

The three-day Raja festival, which began on June 14, is being celebrated across Odisha with traditional enthusiasm and cultural fervour. One of the State’s most significant agrarian festivals, Raja Parba is closely associated with agriculture, the arrival of monsoon rains, and the celebration of feminine power.

On Sunday, on the first-day of the three-day festival, President Droupadi Murmu extended greetings to the people of Odisha on the occasion of Raja Parba, the State’s iconic three-day festival that celebrates the onset of the monsoon season, womanhood, fertility, and reverence for Mother Earth.

The second day of the traditional Raja festival, Raja Sankranti, is being celebrated with great enthusiasm across Odisha today. The festival has transformed both rural and urban landscapes into vibrant centres of cultural festivities.

A festive atmosphere prevails across the state, with homes, villages and public parks resonating with joy and celebration.

People of all age groups are participating enthusiastically by wearing new clothes, offering prayers at temples, enjoying traditional delicacies and taking part in various cultural activities. Traditional swings remain a major attraction, drawing large crowds in both rural and urban areas.

Special Raja delicacies, including Poda Pitha, Arisa Pitha, Manda and Kakera, along with the customary Raja Paan, continue to be an integral part of the celebrations. Cultural and social organisations are also organising special programmes to mark the occasion.

Agricultural activities remain suspended during this three-day period as a mark of respect for nature’s regenerative cycle.