Chadaka Mela, A Divine Gathering in Balasore

Chadaka Mela is one of the most vibrant and spiritually charged festivals that people celebrate at the Chandaneswar Shiva Peetha in the Balasore district of Odisha. Observed on Bishuba Sankranti—the Odia New Year—devotees root the festival deeply in Shaivite traditions, folk beliefs, and centuries-old devotional practices.

People revere the Chandaneswar Shiva Peetha as a major religious and cultural centre in North Odisha. The temple’s gleaming white architecture reflects the aesthetic influence of traditional West Bengal temple design. A central towering spire crowns its main sanctum, and nine smaller ones surround it, symbolizing the Navagrahas (the nine planetary deities). Devotees worship the presiding deity, Lord Chandaneswar, here in a formless (Nirakar) state. Unlike most Shiva temples, this shrine does not enshrine a Linga; instead, it represents the presence of pure, unmanifest Shakti—the cosmic energy.

Among all festivals that people celebrate at this sacred site, Chadaka Mela remains the most extraordinary. Held annually on Bishuba Sankranti, it attracts thousands of devotees from Odisha as well as neighbouring states. The central attraction of the festival is the participation of the Pat Bhaktas, devotees whose unwavering faith defines them. As acts of penance and devotion, they pierce their bodies with iron hooks and other sharp instruments, believing these intense austerities invite divine blessings and spiritual cleansing.

A key ritual of the celebration is the Mahanila Parba, which people regard as the heart of the Chadaka festivities. Several traditional interpretations link the observance to various beliefs, the most significant of which relates to the legend of the Samudra Manthana—the churning of the cosmic ocean. As the gods and demons churned the ocean using Mount Mandara as the rod, supported on the back of the Kurma (tortoise incarnation of Vishnu) and with the serpent Vasuki as the churning rope, a deadly poison—Halahala—emerged. Terrified by its destructive power, Lord Vishnu appealed to Lord Shiva for help. To save the universe, Shiva consumed the poison and held it in his throat, which turned blue from its intensity. Hence, Lord Shiva is known as Nilakantha, the Blue-Throated One, with Nila symbolizing the blue hue of the contained poison. Devotees perform the Nila Parba at the Chandaneswar temple to honour this supreme act of sacrifice.

Another captivating component of the festival is Kamini Bibaha (the wedding of Kamini), which people celebrate across nearly 13 days of the Chadaka Mela. The ritual reenacts a local legend and follows all the ceremonial practices of a traditional Odia wedding. According to the legend, a demoness named Kamini performed intense penance to gain Lord Shiva as her husband, and he granted her a boon. However, accepting a demoness as his wife in the presence of Parvati and Ganga was impossible. To fulfil the boon without causing turmoil, Shiva arranged for Kamini to be born into a Malakara (gardener/florist) family. In the month of Chaitra, away from the knowledge of his divine consorts, Lord Bholanath secretly married Kamini. Since marriages are rarely held during this period, the ceremony drew no suspicion. The devotees, believed to be born from Shiva’s Vibhuti (sacred ash), symbolically form the groom’s procession. Following this wedding ritual, the Nila Parba is observed.

Devotees begin their worship of Mahadev early in the morning. By afternoon, rituals shift to the Nila Pokhari (Blue Pond) near the temple, where they conduct water-related rites. A unique tradition involves devotees searching for Thambi Katha—wooden logs that they believe to appear in accordance with divine will. Devotees carry the logs to the temple entrance and revere them. Historically, people used these logs to construct a tall pillar (Stambha) and a spinning wheel (Charaki). Some devotees would pierce their hands or backs with hooks and suspend themselves from the Charaki as it spun. Due to accidents, authorities or temple officials discontinued this practice, though devotees still ritually worship the logs. People believe that the term Chadaka Mela may have derived from Charaki, or from Chadak, meaning a fair held at the onset of summer. Since people hold the festival in Chaitra, both explanations coexist in local tradition.

Beyond its rituals, Chadaka Mela brings together dazzling processions, rhythmic folk music, traditional performances, and huge congregations of devotees drawn by its intense spiritual atmosphere. It stands as a powerful symbol of devotion, endurance, surrender, and the profound bond between the devotee and the divine.