By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/PURI: The construction of Chariots for the World Famous Car Festival of Lord Jagannath was on Sunday began at the pilgrimage city of Puri, 180 km from here and some 60 km from State Capital of Bhubaneswar on the occasion of Akshay Tritiya with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union PNG-Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan wishing people of the State for a prosperous harvesting year.
Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Akti or Akha Teej, is an annual spring time festival of the Hindus and Jains. The construction of Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosha, Balabhadra’s Taladhwaja and Subhadra’s Darpadalana will take some 60 days from today and if things relating to COVID-19 and nationwide lockdown , will take normal shape by July, devotees may pull the chariots with religious fever as they were doing on earlier occasions.
Taking to his Twitter handle, the Chief Minister Patnaik advised the farmers to maintain social distancing while carrying out agricultural activities. Union PNG-Steel Minister Pradhan also wished the farmers of the State on this occasion and urged them to maintain social distance during harvesting time.
Marking the occasion, Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain participated in a ‘Akhimuthi Chalana’ ceremony at Gadadharpur in Athagarh area of Cuttack district. As per rituals, farmers carry a decorated basket of seeds to their fields where the seeds are offered to Goddess Lakshmi praying for a rich harvest.
