The Viswa Shanti Mahayajna and the second Ramachandi cultural festival were inaugurated at Nadhara village under Odapada block in Dhenkanal district on Friday.
Organised by the Maa Ramachandi Seva Parishad, the festival began with 3,008 women wearing orange colour sarees carried Kalasas (small earthen pots) on head from Tala Baghamunda. They came in a procession with beating of drums, blowing of conch and chanting of haribola and hulahuli to collect holly water from the Bramhani river.
Later, the priest performed the rituals of Dhwaja Uttallan, Kalasa Yatra, Sila Sanskar, Mandana, Subhadibhasa and Ghata Sthapan. The Viswashanti Mahayanga will conclude on January 14 on the occasion of Makara Utstav.
While Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Mallick inaugurated the event on Friday evening, the meeting was presided over by former Dhenkanal MLA Sudhir Kumar Samal. District Collector Nikhil Pawan Kalyan, Project Director DRDA Narotam Behera, Sub-Collector, Dhenkanal, Pitambar Samal, Talcher MLA Braja Pradhan and Odapada Block Chairperson Sasmita Mohanty were present. The students of Natraj Sangeet Mahavidyalaya performed Odishi dance, ‘Aigiri Nandini.’