By Nishan Pattanaik
KORAPUT: The auspicious festival of Pana Sankranti was celebrated for the first time at Jeypore in Koraput this year with grandeur and magnificence. The cultural team from Cuttack and Bhubaneswar enthrall the audience.
Pana Sankranti is a vibrant and colourful festival celebrated with great zeal throughout the state of Odisha. Pana Sankranti holds great significance in the culture and tradition of Odisha, The festival is celebrated on the first day of the Hindu solar calendar and marks the beginning of the new agricultural year. It is also believed to signify the onset of the summer season and is celebrated with a cooling sweet drink called Pana.
The festival marks the beginning of the Odia new year and is observed on the first day of the month of Baisakha. The people celebrate this auspicious day by preparing and sharing a sweet drink called “Pana”. The festival also include the worship of Lord Jagannath, who is believed to have created the Pana drink. The festival is a time for renewal, new beginnings, and togetherness, and its vibrant celebrations truly embody the rich cultural heritage of Odisha.
This year for the first time the odiya new year celebration committee organised the event with a grandeur the day started with Hanuman chalisha, bike rally and ended with cultural program which enthrall the large crowd.
The Coordinator of odiya new year celebration committee Himanshu Mohapatra said though we have different religion followers, caste, languages every occasion is celebrated with much fun and fare but as there is no special celebration for our own language and our new year we have decided to start it and which will be celebrated every year.
Mohapatra also requested the locals to be united and to come forward for such celebration.
On the occasion the local denizens who have made Jeypore proud have been felicitated with a memontoes by the esteemed guest’s.
The Cultural committee coordinator Dhiren Patnaik said though Jeypore is filled with local talents here people want a occasion for celebration so to make our new year memorable we have started a celebration which will last forever.
The festival has been celebrated for centuries and is believed to have originated from the ancient agrarian culture of the region, where it marked the beginning of the new agricultural year.
While St Xavier chain of schools Chairman Dr Srinivas Patnaik graced the occasion as guest and announced to establish a 100ft idol of lord Hanuman at the top of naktidangar reserve forest. Patnaik said by establishing the idol at the hill top it will boost the tourism and also will give a positive vibes to the denizens at large.
Among othe Matru Prasad, Amya das , Simanchal gantayat from bhubaneswar assured to construct a huge temple of Sri Ram at the lap of naktidangar while Music director Prem Anand Actress Bhumika, Actor Subashish playback singer Sangeeta padhy , satyajeet, Subashish and comedian prayan hota, Shankar and anchor Manshi mishra enthralled the audience.
While thousands of people have witnessed and enjoyed the cultural evening more than 10 types of odiya pitha with traditional pana where served to the crowd to mark the occasion.
