Raja Parba is a _______ day long festival of womanhood celebrated in Odisha.

Correct option is C

The correct answer is three.
Raja Parba, also known as Mithuna Sankranti, is a three-day-long traditional festival celebrated with great enthusiasm in the Indian state of Odisha. This unique festival is dedicated to celebrating womanhood and menstruation, which is typically considered taboo in many parts of the country. The name "Raja" is derived from the Sanskrit word "Rajaswala," meaning a menstruating woman.
The festival marks the beginning of the agricultural year in Odisha. It is believed that during this time, Mother Earth undergoes her menstrual cycle and is given rest, just like women during their periods. No agricultural activities like ploughing or sowing are undertaken during this time.
The three days of the festival are:
· First Day: Pahili Raja
· Second Day: Raja Sankranti (also coincides with Mithuna Sankranti)
· Third Day: Basi Raja
Young girls and women wear new clothes, apply alta (a red dye) on their feet, swing on beautifully decorated swings, and relish a variety of traditional delicacies like poda pitha. Games and folk songs are also part of the celebration, making it a vibrant and empowering cultural event.
Information Booster:
· Raja Parba is one of the few Indian festivals that celebrates menstruation positively.
· It also marks the onset of the monsoon season and the sowing of paddy in Odisha.
· The festival is non-ritualistic and focuses more on fun, rest, and rejuvenation for women.
· The third day is followed by a fourth day, known as Vasumati Snana, where bathing the grinding stone represents Mother Earth.
· Swings, folk songs (Raja Gita), and traditional foods like poda pitha are essential aspects of the celebration.