As per the lunar calendar of India, the month of Kartika is considered to be the holiest of months. In the Odia calendar, Kartika comes as the 6th month of the year and in the Georgian calendar it overlaps in the months of October and November. As per Hindu astrology, the Kartika month comes when the sun is at Kruttika Nakshatra or Pleiades.
The month of Kartika also brings a lot of traditional festivals and rituals like Deepavali, Habisha, Baluka Puja, Panchuka, Kartika Purnima, Boita Bandana etc. The last five days of the month are celebrated as ‘Panchuka’, considered to be the holiest days of the month. Most of the Odia households celebrate this month with sincere devotion to attain spiritual serenity. They abstain from non-vegetarian dishes and avoid eating onion & garlic. Some devotees observe ‘Habisha’ which requires them to follow stricter rules.
‘Habisha’ is considered to be the most auspicious ritual of Kartika month. The devotees who observe Habisha are known as Habisialis. As per the tradition, Habishyalis take food only once in the afternoon before sunset. Habishyalis either depend on Mahaprasad from Jagannath Temple for their food or else prepare their own food for Habisha. For Habisha food, they avoid putting certain vegetables such as brinjal, cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, bitter gourd, etc. Another important part of Habisha is Baluka Puja. For this, Habisialis gather around a Tulsi/Basil tree to worship Lord Shiva while also keeping a picture of Lord Krishna under the tree to worship Him as ‘Rai Damodar’.
How 2019 Was:
Habisialis gather at Dalmia Dharamsala, Old Town, Bhubaneswar for their month-long Kartika Month rituals. These visuals are an annual occurrence.
Immersed in the name of the Lord! Shunted by mainstream society, the Kartik Month is that time of the year when they find solace among people they can relate to, all for a common goal.
Love and togetherness go together, especially while chanting the Almighty! With their ceremonious ulululus, these Habisialis find home amidst each other.
Puri and Lord Jagannath are integral parts of Odia culture & tradition. The love for the Lords finds a mini replica, crafted with love.
There’s a lot that comes from sitting together, spending time calling upon the Gods. Kartika month gets its holiness from this spirit of togetherness of Habisialis.
Offering the Gods a part of their heart, these Naibedya are an integral part of the holy Kartika month. The Habisialis survive on these fruits & offerings made to the Gods till the end of the month.
In tune with nature, nothing is selfish. Pigeons come and feast on the food grains left in the process of preparing food for the Gods. A recurring scene every year.
The holy chants continue all through the month, ending only on the full moon day. The Dharamsalas reverberate with fervent devotion signifying the arrival of divinity.
One with the Omnipresent! A Habishyali chants Holy mantras, eyes fixated in remembrance of the God as the atmosphere becomes holier with every passing moment.
The COVID-19 Effect
The impact of COVID-19 was felt in the celebration of Kartika month as well as the culminating occasion of Kartika Purnima as well. Restrictions on congregation near water bodies aside, the entire month went by without Habisialis coming together for rituals. The Dharamsalas of Puri, that were abuzz with Habisialis engrossed in their daily rituals and elaborate worshipping of the Lords, wore an empty, abandoned look this year. Puri District Administration clamped down on the congregation in purview of the second wave of COVID-19.
The corridors of these Dharamsalas are silent spectators to the wrath caused by the virus that prevented this annual affair from happening the way it used to.
The corridors of a Dharamsala in Puri shows lies deserted
The place that used to stay abuzz with Habisialis praying to the Gods lies starkly empty.
The marvelous architecture of the Dharamsalas was all about the pilgrims. This year was very different.
Closure of religious places has been a major reason behind the absence of Habisialis. And it continues to be so.
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