The Raja festival, also known as Raja Parba or Mithuna Sankranti, is celebrated in Odisha, India. This festival is said to mark the onset of the monsoon season and honours the feminine aspects of the earth, which are believed to go through a menstrual cycle during this period. The word ‘Raja’ is taken from ‘Rajaswala’, which loosely translates to ‘menstruating woman’. The Raja festival is celebrated for three days and each day has its own speciality.