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Dense Fog Affects Visibility In Bhubaneswar, Vehicular Movement Disrupted


Kartik Purnima Celebrations In Odisha
Wake up early + Take a shower + Go to nearest water bodies + Float toy boats with Diyas = Kartik Purnima
Kartik Purnima, the full moon of the Hindu holy month Kartik, considered one of the most beautiful days in the Hindu calendar, is viewed with great enthusiasm in the Odisha Province.
At dawn, people walks of life observe the ‘Boita Bandana’ tradition with floating toy boats in nearby water. They set up boats full of betel leaves, fruit, coins, diyas, candles, etc. Crackers also exploded to celebrate the event.
However some believe that tradition is designed to worship ancestors and claim their blessings.
In the beautiful Kartik moon, devotees go to the temple and eat only vegetarian food. The last five days of the month are considered the most important and are known as “Panchuka” The last day is celebrated as Kartika Purnima.
Many women, especially widows and old women keep a special brata and eat only once a day for a whole month. And these devotees are called “Habisyali”. Their brata comes to an end on this beautiful day.
The famous Bali Jatra, an annual exhibition on the Mahanadi River in Cuttack, kicks off this day. A long and fair church, literally means A Voyage to Bali. The festival is held in Gadagadia Ghata on the Mahanadi River, marking the day when ancient sailors embarked on their commercial voyage.
Some people do not eat non-veg for whole month. In fact some do not eat foods made using onion and garlic.
The toy boat festival also marks the end of a month-long abstinence from non-vegetarian food for many Odia families. The next day of Kartika Purnima is celebrated as ‘Chada Khai’ people start eating non-vegetarian food from that day.
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/kartik-purnima-in-odisha-toy-boats-floated-in-water-1952324
Read About The Relevance Of Panchuka In The Sacred Month Of Kartika
Panchuka is observed in Odisha during the last five days of the sacred month Kartika.
Fasting is observed by Lord Jagannath worshippers during this five-day period, which begins on Bada Ekadashi and finishes on Kartika Purnima.
It is customary for Odias to abstain from eating non-vegetarian cuisine for the full month of Kartika. Those who are unable to do so should refrain from eating non-vegetarian food for the next five days, or Panchuka, also known as Bagаpanchuka. Even cranes are supposed to become religious around this time and stop eating fish.
What are the rituals followed during Panchuka?
Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Narayan are adored for five days. Married women pray for the long life of their husbands by worshipping Goddess Vrundavati, the wife of the demon Jalandhara, in the shape of the sacred tulsi plant.
They also use gorgeous Muruja or Rangoli to beautify the space.
Vrundavati’s chastity and purity are said to have saved the life of her husband, who did not practise any dharma. Women feel that by honouring Vundavati, they can achieve the same level of merit.
On each of the five days, Lord Jagannath is dressed in a new Bhesa (attire). On the first day, he is dressed as Laxminarayan, followed by Bankachuda Bhesa, Tribikrama Bhesa, and Laxminrusingha Bhesa. The Lord gives devotees darshan in Rajarajeswar Bhesa on the last day of Panchuka, which is exceedingly important.
However, owing to COVID-19 guidelines, devotees will not be permitted to attend the Panchuka ceremony at the temple this year.
https://rtdjournal.com/10-underrated-odia-festivals-and-their-importance/
https://odishabytes.com/know-significance-of-panchuka-in-holy-month-of-kartika/
In observance of Eid Milad-un-Nabi and Gajalaxmi Puja, the Odisha government has declared that banks and other “banking institutions” in the state would be closed on October 19-20. (i.e. Tuesday and Wednesday). The revenue and disaster management department of the Odisha government issued the statement in an official notification, noting that the aforementioned institutions will be closed for these two days due to statewide festivities.
“On the occasion of ‘Eid-Milad’ and ‘Gajalaxmi Puja,’ banks and other banking institutions in Odisha will remain closed on October 19 (Tuesday) and October 20, 2021 (Wednesday),” said the revenue and disaster management department in a statement.
Importance of Gajalaxmi Puja in Odisha
Odisha celebrates Gajalaxmi Puja as part of a half-century-old custom in the state’s Dhenkanal district. The Laxmi Puja celebrations last 11 days, beginning with Kumara Purnima, and are highlighted by colorful decorations, temporary marketplaces, music, and dance programs, and other events around the state in a spectacular yearly festival attended by people of various religions, castes, and tribes.
Gaja Laxmi Puja festivities in Odisha’s Dhenkanal will begin on October 19, the day of Kumara Purnima, and will go until dawn on October 29. However, due to the current coronavirus illness (Covid-19) scenario, the government has issued directives for subdued festivities.
Importance of Eid Milad celebration
The yearly celebration of Eid Milad-un-Nabi commemorates the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad. The event takes place in the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and begins with the sighting of the moon. The event also commemorates the Prophet’s death anniversary.
According to the Gregorian calendar, Eid Milad celebrations will begin on the evening of October 18 and will continue until the evening of October 19. Along with India, the holiday is observed in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and other subcontinental countries.
One of the most significant aspects of Eid Milad-un-Nabi is commemorating Prophet Muhammad’s life, including his teachings, hardships, and character since he is claimed to have forgiven even his enemies. Muslims mark the day by donning new clothing, praying, and sharing presents. The community gathers at a mosque or a dargah to start the day with a morning prayer, followed by a parade.
Goddesses Worshiped In Odisha: Popular And Well Known Shakti Pithas
Goddesses Worshiped In Odisha: In Hinduism, women are worshipped as a Goddess. Specially during Navratri unmarried little girls are worshiped as they considered to be the incarnation of the Goddesses. In India Goddesses are represented as Shakti. Some of the Hindu Goddesses are Maa Durga, Laxmi, Saraswati, Parvati, Mahakali, Radha etc. Here are some lists of some Shakti pithas of Odisha;
Maa Katak Chandi:
Katak Chandi Temple is an ancient temple, situated near the bank of river Mahanadi at Cuttack District. This temple is the main attraction of Cuttack District. Goddess Katak Chandi has four hands: Pasa, Ankusha, Abhaya, Bara. The temple is especially dedicated for Durga Puja and Kali Puja. Dussehra observed for 16 days starting from Ashwina Krishna Ashtami to Ashwina Shukla Ashtami.
Maa Bhagavati:
Banapur Bhagavati is one of the most famous temples of Odiisha situated in Banapur, Khordha district. It is one of the twelve Shakti Pithas mentioned in Odia Mahavarat written by Sarala Das. This famous temple was constructed by the Gajapati Maharaja of Puri. Maa Durga is worshiped as Bhagavati in this temple.
Maa Charchika:
The 19th Century old Charchika temple is situated at Banki of Cuttack District in Odisha. The deity an eight armed goddess Chamunda is worshiped as Maa Durga. The eight hands of Chamunda are carrying weapons like Khadga, Katari, Kripan, Trident, Blood cup with one finger dipped in blood. It is believed that this famous Shakti pitha is created by Lord Parashuram.
Kakatpur Mangala:
Kakatpur Mangala is situated at Kakatpur 50 kms away from Puri. This temple is famous for Goddess Mangala. The Maa Mangala temple is also known as Serbia Mangala Mandir. There is a festival of the deity which is observed every year is known as Jhamu Jatra.
Maa Samaleswari:
Maa Samaleswari Temple is a strong attraction of Western Odisha, situated in Sambalpur District. The deity is worshipped as Mahalaxmi, Adishakti, Saraswati in the region. The famous festival of Western Odisha ‘Nuakhai’ is especially observed in the temple. According to history, King Balaram Dev built this temple in the 16th Century.
Ghata Gaon Tarini:
Maa Ghata Gaon Tarini is a very famous pilgrimage of Odisha located at Keonjhar district. Maa tarini is worshiped in the temple. The locals observe Maha Bisuba Sankranti during the Chaitra Purnima with a great joy in the temple. Everyday the Dehury ritual performs like giving birth to the deity and smearing the body Sindoor. Coconuts and Red Hibiscus rosa (Gudhal) flowers are specially offered to the Goddess.
Maa Biraja:
Biraja Temple or Biraja Kshetra is one of the ancient Hindu temples of Odisha located at Jajpur District. The temple was built in 13th century. The two armed Mahisamardini Biraja is worshipped as Maa Durga. According to the legends the Navi of Sati fell here and it became known as Navigaya. During Durga Puja, Goddess Biraja is taken out in chariot by a procession of 9 days, called as Rath Yatra of Maa Biraja.
Jankada Sarala:
This famous temple is situated at Jagatsingpur district of Odisha. Goddess Sarala is known as Vak Devi. The idol of Maa Sarala is of eight armed in Mahisamardini posture. The temple was constructed during the Bhauma Kara in 8th Century. The Odia New year Pana Sankranti, Dussehra and Dol Purnima are especially observed in this temple. Chandan Yatra, a very special occasion of Maa Sarala begins on Akshay Tritiya and observed for 21 days.(Shakti Pithas)
Goddesses Worshiped In Odisha
-By Adyasha Samal
https://odishabytes.com/shakti-peethas-in-odisha-their-significance-for-shaktas/
https://rtdjournal.com/10-underrated-odia-festivals-and-their-importance/
Goddesses Worshiped In Odisha
Meet The Youngest Story-teller Of The World; Rourkela Girl Who Brought Laurels For Odisha
Stories are the gift of a writer’s creative wandering intertwined with parts of his inner feelings and outside examination. These perfectly linked works have been out in the world for ages, and they continue to invent parallel worlds within our brains that captivate, gladden, agitate, concern, terrify, shame us, and really transform us into ‘Alices’ of our own ‘Wonderlands.’
We’ve all read them in books since we were children, we’ve all seen them on television, and we’ve all heard them from storytellers, yet we’ve never grown weary of them tickling our imaginations. Children are particularly enthralled by stories; their impressionable and inquisitive brains are fascinated by the colorful and varied aspects of a story that transports them to a joyful place.
Doting parents read books aloud to their children from a young age because they believe it is good for them. It improves speaking and listening abilities promotes learning, and provides opportunities for bonding. When it comes to storytelling, though, a specific 6-year-old of Rourkela, Odisha is turning the tables. Rather than listening to her parents’ stories, this beautiful child has put on the storyteller hat and is sweeping the Instagram world by storm. Her adorable narrative style and nicest book evaluations have captivated the web public, and they can’t take their gaze away from this tiny messenger. Ahana Mohunta, possibly the world’s youngest storyteller, steps forward.
Ahana has covered a variety of children’s storybooks on her Instagram page, and her YouTube channel includes videos such as ‘The Smartest Giant in Town,’ ‘How to Grow a Friend,’ ‘Being a Princess,’ ‘Zayn & Zoey,’ and ‘I Don’t Want to Be Quiet,’ to name a few. What distinguishes Ahana is that she reads off stories in the way in which she reads them out. To begin with, her 5-year-old voice is music to everyone’s ears; she has the loveliest voice, which instantly draws you into her reading.
The endearment of this paradox of a kid reading to the entire world is amplified by her childlike reading manner, i.e., the unintentional pauses between lines, the charming gasping for air after a long-phrase. Her eyes sparkle as she reads from her books, which is only enhanced by her adorable cream-colored glasses.
She injects a lot of energy into her assessment and narration, which the spectator feels right away and sustains until the conclusion. Mommy dearest appears in all of her videos, acting as a cheerful aid in her narration and encouraging her on her narrative trip. Her evident skill has also rewarded her by winning several storytelling competitions, the most recent of which was the first prize at Skill Tree’s ‘Read-A-Thon’ on the occasion of ‘World Read Aloud Day 2021.’
She was featured on the Instagram account of popular children’s publication Nerdy Bugs after reading their October issue and recommending it to everyone. Her distinct interpretational abilities have earned her not just national but international acclaim, with award-winning illustrator Summer Macon recognizing her work on Instagram for reviewing one of her paintings, ‘ABC of Kindness.’ She received another feather in her crown when famous novelist and storyteller Rachel Bright gave her a lengthy message of thanks for reading her book ‘The Lion Inside,’ and urged her to keep reading and dreaming.
Ahana’s narrative journey continues to this day, with her most recent adventure being a reading challenge in which she will finish a list of 15 different tale topics. This adorable storyteller has won the hearts of her devoted fans. They are always looking forward to the next interesting short tale encounter that will brighten their day!
https://sambadenglish.com/odisha-2-year-old-rourkela-girl-enters-india-book-of-records/
https://rtdjournal.com/know-the-10-famous-nicknames-of-places-in-odisha-and-why-they-are-named-so/
Odisha Disallowed The Use Of Firecrackers During Festive Season, Night Curfew For Next 10 Days
Odisha Disallowed The Use Of Firecrackers: The Odisha government on Thursday has announced that the sale as well the usage of the firecrackers will be banned especially in the festive month of October. The decision was taken by the Special Relief Commissioner, officer Pradeep Kumar Jena. The decision seeks to stop the infection further spread.
In an order issued by the SRC, Jena said, “With a view to protecting the health of the general public and to curb the infection, the sale and use of the fire crackers shall remain prohibited during this festival season.”
Meanwhile, Jena has revised the night curfew schedule for cities like Bhubaneshwar and Cuttack for 10 days during the month of October. The new timing will commence from Oct 11 to 20. As a means to curb the deadly virus in both the cities, the night curfew will start from 8 PM and will continue till 5 PM in the morning. However, in the other parts of Odisha, the night curfew will continue from 10 PM to 5 AM.
According to the issued orders of the government on August 2021, all the festivals and other functions are to be celebrated following the norms, as said by the Special Relief Commissioner officer. Earlier, the Delhi Control Committee has banned the use of firecrackers in the national capital Delhi till January 1, 2022. The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that it cannot infringe the right to life of innocent people under the disguise of employment while considering a ban on firecrackers.
A bench headed by Justices M R Shah and A S Bopanna on Tuesday said that it is important to strike balance between employment, unemployment, and the right to life of the citizen. It even emphasised that under the guise of employment of the few, it cannot permit others to infringe the right to life of other innocent citizens.
BMC Issues Guidelines For Durga Puja 2021; Organisers To Follow Covid Protocols
With Durga Puja just weeks away, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) published rules on Thursday that are in conformity with the Odisha government’s full festival guidelines issued on August 9, 2021.
From October 11 to October 13, 2021, the Durga Puja will be observed. As a result, any gathering for the festival’s celebration, including accompanying religious and cultural gatherings, would not be permitted in public under BMC authority, according to the newest announcement.
According to the BMC announcement, Puja Committees/Organisers can hold Durga Puja in Mandaps/Pandals if they follow all COVID-19 norms, such as social distance, wearing masks, and appropriate sanitization, and get permission from a fully authorized officer by the Commissioner of Police.
Here are the BMC guidelines:
1. Durga Puja celebrations, including accompanying religious and cultural gatherings, are not permitted in public under the jurisdiction of the BMC. Puja Committees / Organizers can hold Durga Puja at Mandaps / Pandals while adhering to all COVID-19 procedures, such as social distance, masks, proper sanitization, and so on, with permission from an officer officially approved by the Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar.
2. The Puja must be held in an indoor-like setting only for the purpose of performing rites, with no public involvement, pomp, or grandeur.
3. Mandaps / Pandals must be covered on three sides, with one side exposed solely for the priest to utilize for ceremonies. The fourth side should also be adequately covered to prevent devotees from viewing/darshan the idols in public.
4. The size of the idol must be less than 4 feet.
5. Throughout Puja or at any other time during these Puja days, no public speaker system will be used.
6. In the Pandal/Mandap, no more than 7 people are permitted at any given time, including the organizers/priests/Kartas/support staff, etc. All persons attending will be required to adhere to COVID-I9 procedures. Only individuals who have been completely vaccinated will be permitted to participate in Puja, according to the organizers.
7. The organizers will not lead an immersion procession. The idols will be submerged in BMC-created artificial ponds for this purpose.
Because the size and weight of the idol have been limited this time, only a maximum of 10 people should participate in the immersion. When conducting immersion rites, the Puja Committee should verify that all individuals engaged are properly immunized and follow COVID guidelines.
9. During the puja period, no religious procession of any sort, nor any musical or entertainment program, will be conducted by any public/group/club/puja committee, etc.
10. The Puja Committee should advise its members to maintain all permissions/individual COVID Vaccination certificates on hand at all times in case they are inspected by enforcement agencies.
https://rtdjournal.com/amid-demands-odisha-govt-denies-any-ralaxtion-in-durga-puja-guidelines/