Latest news with #ArabindaKumarPadhee
Time of India
7 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
SJTA moves Puri admn to protect Saradha Bali
1 2 Bhubaneswar: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has requested the Puri district administration to preserve Saradha Bali, the consecrated sandy open space in front of Gundicha Temple, the birthplace of the deities of Jagannath Temple. The SJTA has expressed concerns regarding the use of this sacred space, which holds profound connections to Jagannath culture and Rath Yatra, for various government and private functions throughout the year. The shrine body's chief administrator, Arabinda Kumar Padhee, has addressed a formal letter to Puri municipality, advocating for the appropriate protection of this hallowed location, which holds substantial importance during the annual Rath Yatra. "In light of its cultural and religious importance, I have requested that the district administration ensures that Saradha Bali is not utilized for any other purpose that may detract from its sanctity and association with Shree Jagannatha Temple," Padhee said. Padhee emphasised that Saradha Bali requires conservation and improvement in accordance with the Jagannath temple's cultural legacy and customs. "This important place should be reserved exclusively for purposes ancillary to Shree Jagannatha culture, ensuring that the sacredness and cultural significance of Saradha Bali are maintained for the benefit of devotees," Padhee said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Investire è più facile che mai BG SAXO Scopri di più Undo Saradha Bali serves as a crucial element in the Rath Yatra, designating the location where the chariots halt before the deities proceed to Gundicha Temple. Mythological accounts suggest that a river named Malini previously flowed between the Jagannath Temple and Gundicha Temple. The riverbed was subsequently filled with sand to facilitate the chariot procession during Rath Yatra. "It is believed that the site derives its name from queen Saradha Devi, who reportedly filled the riverbed with sand (bali) following divine instructions received from Lord Jagannath in her dreams. The location becomes a focal point during Rath Yatra, where countless devotees assemble to observe the deities' arrival at Gundicha Temple," said culture enthusiast Prasanna Rath. Devotees consider Saradha Bali highly sacred, with many devotional songs dedicated to it. They often collect a small amount of sand from this holy site as a blessing from Lord Jagannath.
Hans India
4 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
Traditional crop culture scheme unveiled
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has introduced a scheme to revive the traditional crop and food culture of the State and will focus on the conservation and marketing of such agricultural produce, officials said. The programme will be implemented in 25 blocks across 15 districts in the State and is expected to directly benefit approximately 60,000 farmers. This will cover areas near biodiversity hotspots and ecologically sensitive regions for a period of five years from 2025-26. Agriculture & Farmers' Empowerment department launched the scheme - Revival and Sustainable Intensification of Forgotten Food & Neglected Crops in Odisha - on Wednesday. The initiative will also help generate additional financial support for the cultivators, especially those belonging to the tribal community. The scheme has been developed under the guidance of Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo and has been formally approved by the government. The expected outcomes of the scheme include 'documenting numerous landraces and recipes, increasing their availability, conducting nutritional profiling, developing an open digital knowledge platform and positioning Odisha as a global model for reviving forgotten food & neglected crops', said Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Principal Secretary, Agriculture & Farmers' Empowerment department.
Indian Express
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Totally unacceptable': Odisha govt asks Puri Jagannath authorities to probe Digha temple row
The Odisha government Friday asked authorities at the Puri Jagannath Temple to look into the controversies stemming from the recent inauguration of a replica of the 12th-century shrine in neighbouring West Bengal's Digha. In a letter to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration's chief administrator, Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan called for an 'internal inquiry' into 'naming the newly built Digha temple as Jagannath Dham, participation of servitors from Puri in the consecration ceremony of the new temple, and using the surplus sacred neem wood of Nabakalebara rituals to craft the idols for the new shrine.' Calling these 'totally unacceptable', he said that 'conflicting information over Jagannath culture' had hurt the sentiments of devotees and 4.5 crore Odia people. He asked the Puri temple administration to consider initiating action. The West Bengal government inaugurated the Jagannath temple at Digha on April 30. Servitors and devotees in Odisha have questioned the temple being named a 'dham', saying the title belongs to the original shrine at Puri. They have also questioned the participation of servitors from Puri temple in the Digha temple's inauguration ceremony. Senior Puri Jagannath temple servitor Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra, among those who have faced criticism for participating in the Digha temple's inauguration, said he attended the ceremony on the request of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. Servitors have also questioned whether stone idols of the sibling deities Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra were being worshipped at the temple. Tradition dictates that the idols of these three deities must be made of neem wood. Dasmohapatra said the stone idols had been in place at the new shrine for the past three months and were not being worshipped. 'The idols were made from neem wood under my supervision at Puri. I then took the idols to Digha for the inaugural ceremony,' said the senior servitor. In the scriptures, Lord Jagannath is referred as Daru Brahma, with Daru referring to wood and Brahma meaning supreme power.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Agri dept signs MoUs with 4 corporations to boost farmer devpt
Bhubaneswar: The agriculture and farmers' empowerment department on Friday signed MoUs with four corporations for FY 2025-26 for development and welfare of farmers. The entities are Odisha Agro-Industrial Corporation (OAIC), Odisha Agriculture Promotion and Capital Investment Corporation Limited ( APICOL ), Odisha State Seed Corporation Limited (OSSC), and Odisha State Cashew Development Corporation Limited (OSCDCL). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Deputy CM Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, who holds the portfolio of agriculture and farmers' empowerment, was present during signing of the MoUs. "We are fully committed to the progress and development of farmers," he said. As per the deal, OAIC has set a target of purchasing 45,000 tonnes of fertilisers, organic fertilisers and pesticides worth Rs 20 crore, 7,000 tractors, 1,000 power tillers and other agricultural machinery. Additionally, it aims to implement 5,200 electric-powered small lift irrigation projects, 4,800 solar water tank projects, 1,000 shallow tube well projects, and allocate Rs 30 crore for construction this year. A total turnover of Rs 1,000 crore has been targeted. Similarly, the partnership with OSSC aims to strengthen the seed production and supply chain in the state. The department will further empower farmers by ensuring the timely supply of certified seeds. Under this collaboration, both parties will work together to promote seed replacement and varietal improvement through a coordinated farmer awareness campaign. For this, a turnover target of Rs 56 crore has been set. APICOL aims to create 6,500 business enterprises and provide subsidies worth Rs 250 crore. Out of this, Rs 200 crore is allocated for the Mukhyamantri Krushi Udyog Yojana (MKUY) and Rs 50 crore for the cold storage support scheme. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In FY 2025-26, the OSCDCL will undertake a 500-hectare hybrid cashew re-plantation programme and maintain trees over more than 1,336.22 hectares to strengthen cashew cultivation. Additionally, it has set a target for the production of 35 lakh hybrid cashew grafts from its existing 20 clonal nurseries. Principal secretary of the department, Arabinda Kumar Padhee, was also present.
