Prathamastami 2024: Date, shubh muhurat, significance, timings, rituals and all you need to know about the Odia festival
Prathamastami 2024: This festival is dedicated to the eldest child of the family. On this day, families pray for their success and prosperity.
Prathamastami, one of the most revered festivals in Odisha, is celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion, especially for the prosperity and long life of the eldest child in every household. This unique festival is marked by prayers offered to protect the firstborn from all evils, and to ensure their well-being and success throughout life.
Celebrated on the eighth day of Krishna Paksha during the Margashira month of the Hindu lunar calendar, Prathamastami is also known locally as ‘Paruha Ashtami’. The festival honors the eldest child—the one who traditionally holds the responsibility of looking after the family after the parents’ passing, and ensuring that family customs and traditions continue. The significance of the eldest child stems from the belief that they are the future caretakers of the family’s legacy.
On this day, families pray for the long life and good health of their firstborn, seeking blessings from the Goddess Shashthi Devi, also known as Jyestha Devi, the deity of children and longevity. The eldest child is honored with new clothes, and special sweet dishes are prepared, with the most iconic being Enduri Pitha—a traditional sweet made of rice flour, coconut, and jaggery, wrapped in aromatic turmeric leaves.
Prathamastami also holds agricultural significance. The festival coincides with the period when farmers in Odisha are celebrating the harvest of the season. A good crop yield is considered a sign of prosperity, and the farmers feel fortunate, marking this as one of the most auspicious times of the year.
Historically, Prathamastami is believed to have been celebrated in Odisha since the 14th century and is recognized as a people’s festival that ties together the values of family responsibility, spiritual devotion, and agricultural abundance. The festival’s deep cultural roots are reflected in the religious observances across the state.
In temples on this day, deities are adorned with new clothes, and special prayers are offered. In Puri, Lord Balabhadra is worshipped with great devotion, and in Bhubaneswar, the deities of the Lingaraj Temple, especially Varubheshareshwar, are taken in a grand procession to the Manikarnika Ghat. Devotees also honor the eldest daughter in the form of ‘Bhargavi’ or ‘Mahalakshmi’, symbolizing prosperity and wellbeing.
Prathamastami 2024: Prathamastami is a much-anticipated festival in Odisha. It falls on November 23, 2024. It is celebrated on the eighth day of the Krishna Paksha during the Margashira month of the Hindu lunar calendar; Prathamastami is also known locally as ‘Paruha Ashtami’. This celebration is centred around the eldest child in the family.
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Prathamastami 2024: Date and Time
- Prathamastami Date: November 23, 2024
- Ashtami Tithi Start: 6:08 PM on November 22, 2024
- Ashtami Tithi End: 7:57 PM on November 23, 2024
Prathamastami 2024: Significance
This Odia festival is centred on the eldest child, praying for their good health and prosperity. It holds deep symbolic meaning, as the firstborn is seen as the custodian of family traditions, responsible for supporting and taking care of their parents and ensuring the continuity of the family legacy.
On this holy day, families come together and pray to Goddess Shashthi Devi, who is also known as Jyestha Devi, the god of children and longevity. The firstborn is given new clothes, and special dishes are prepared for this occasion. Enduri Pitha is a sweet dish which is made on this day and is the main delicacy of the auspicious festival.
Prathamastami 2024: Ritual
On this day, the mother performs an aarti for the eldest child, praying to the gods to protect her child against all the evil and negativity. Other than Goddess Shashti Devi, Lord Ganesh is also worshipped. The eldest child is known as the ‘Jyeshtha Santan.’ They get a lot of love and gifts from their families. ‘Haldi Kathi’, a sacred yellow thread from the blessing of the gods, is tied around the wrist to safeguard them against all evils and have divine protection.
