✨Dhanu Sankranti - धनु संक्रांति

At the Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri, the festival is celebrated with special rituals:

Dhanu Muan Bhog The main offering of the day is Dhanu Muan, a traditional sweet made from Khai (puffed rice) and Jaggery (guda), Ghee. As per bhaktibharat, this special bhog is dedicated to Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra.

Gita ParayanAs Dhanu Sankranti often coincides with Gita Jayanti, there is: Bhagavad Gita recitation. Special chanting and prayers by temple servitors.

Special Puja Rituals like Mangala Alati, Mailam, Abakash rituals
❀ Special Surya Puja as the Sun enters Sagittarius.
❀ Madhyanna Dhupa and Raj Bhog with Dhanu Muan included.
❀ Evening Sandhya Arati with festive offerings.

Annakara / Annabhog Tradition
Devotees prepare and distribute various types of Pitha (local cakes) and Muan.
Many households in Odisha offer Dhanu Muan at home and then visit the Jagannath Temple.

Symbolizes abundance, prosperity, and good harvest, especially in agrarian communities. In Western Odisha, Dhanu Sankranti is the start of the Pousa Yatra celebrated for a month.

Dhanu Sankranti mein Dhanu Yatra
A massive open-air theatre festival, primarily celebrated in Bargarh, Odisha. It is recognized as the world's largest open-air theatre festival. The entire city becomes the stage for the story of the Krishna-Kansa battle.

The festival re-enacts the following events:
❀ Mathura city (Bargarh)
❀ Goppur (Ambpali village)
❀ King Kansa's court, his tyranny, and Krishna's arrival to destroy him.

It usually begins immediately after Dhanu Sankranti. It lasts for 11 days. It symbolically marks the time of Krishna's arrival in Mathura after the events of Dhanu Sankranti (such as breaking Kansa's bow).