Odisha celebrates Odia New Year with gaiety

Bhubaneswar: People across Odisha today thronged various temples on the occasion of Maha Vishuba Sankranti or Pana Sankranti, which heralds the Odia New Year.

The festival marks the introduction of new Panjika, which is an almanac of Hindu religious festivals, timings and predictions for the year. It is prepared as per solar calendar and incorporates the auspicious dates, times, the sun rise and sunset time, the stars and their movements etc from Mesha Sankranti till Mina Sankranti.

Devotees also performed special puja on the occasion, which is also celebrated as the birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman.

People marked the advent of the New Year by drinking pana, a sweet-sour drink made with bael (wood apple), fruits and sugar.