12. Festivals (Mahotsava)

In the Harṣacarita, we are informed about so many festivals celebrated at that time. For example the people celebrated putrajanmotsava^[1] i.e., birth of prince for one month as mahotsava. The writer mentions about puṣyābhiṣeka^[2] (i.e., in that day the king takes ceremonial bath). The king takes ceremonial bath in that day, the Moon being in the Pushya asterism. The writer mentions that this festival was very charming for the banner-cloths, sharp drums, conches, chowries and unguents.^[3]

P. V. Kane has explained about it thus—

“On these days the king is accompanied by dhvajā etc. which are the insignia of royalty. The elephants also had these on their body.”^[4]

The writer also noted about mahānavamī,^[5] in this festival buffaloes were sacrificed to Dūrgā, which, however, implies that mahānavamī had also been celebrated in his time. The marriage ceremony of princess was also regarded as great festival of the country.^[6] In that occasion all the city, palace, streets, buildings etc. were decorated with various things.^[7] It is found people enjoyed the prince’s marriage with very happy mood.^[8]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

[a].….pranṛttasakalakaṭakalokaḥ putrajanmotsavo mahān, Ibid.,IV.p.62 [b] …..asūta devaṃ rājyavardhanam….jātpramodā nṛtamaya….prajāḥ…māsamekaṃ divasamiva mahotsavamakaronnarapatiḥ, Ibid.,IV.p.60

[2]:

Ibid.,II.p.26

[3]:

….ekīkṛtairdhvajapaṭapaṭupaṭahasaṅkhacāmaraṅgarāgaramaṇīyaiḥ puṣyābhiṣekadivasairiva kalpitairvāraṇendraiḥ śyāmāyamānam, Ibid.,II.p.26

[4]:

Ibid., p.258

[5]:

mahānavamīmahaṃ mahiṣamaṇḍālanām, Ibid.,VIII.p.126

[6]:

[a]….mahotsave ekaki vahudha…, Ibid.,IV.p.70 [b].….vijṛmbhamāṇe mahotsave ……vivāhadivasaḥ, Ibid.

[7]:

Ibid.,IV.p.68-70

[8]:

Ibid.