To mark 100 years of Gandhi's visit to Odisha, a play was staged by the Sate Language, Literature and Music Department on Tuesday at the Ratna Mandap, Belpahar, in assistance with the Belpahar Mirror Theatre.
Before that, a procession started in the evening from the Mahatma Gandhi Smruti Sadan to the Ratna Mandap in which different women’s organisations of Belpahar, senior citizens’ associations and members of the Mahatma Gandhi Smruti Sadan participated. Jharsuguda district SP Bikash Chandra Das joined as chief guest and ADM Pradeep Sahoo as distinguished guest and convener of Belpahar Citizen Forum Shyam Sundar Satpathy, DIPRO Ajay Jena and Director of Mirror Theatre Subash Pradhan as other guests.
The speakers requested everybody to work for the development of the country taking the philosophy of Gandhiji, love for the motherland and social service.
Gandhi had visited Jharsuguda on May 5, 1934 and walked from the Jharsuguda railway station in a grand procession to the house of freedom fighter Late Bihari Ram Tanty at Mangalbazar Mungapada. Besides, Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das also spread the message of Gandhi from this house.
On the occasion, Durga Prasad Tanty, son of Bihari Ram Tanty, was felicitated. A play "Gandhinka Odisha" written by Sankar Tripathy and directed by Subash Chandra Pradhan was staged. The play covered all aspects of the Dandi March and Salt Agitation, etc., launched by Mahatma Gandhi.