While a 15-member team arrived from the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC), US, including their faculty and staff to join the Ekamra Walks on Sunday, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar students made the heritage walk another milestone by joining in large numbers.
There were 90 people in the IIT-Bhubaneswar contingent. Accordingly, three large groups were formed with three expert guides to make the walk more participatory and exclusive.
Annapurna Pandey, Professor of Cultural Anthropology at UCSC, who was the team leader of the team, currently on a visit to city-based Centurion University of Technology and Management, said, “I belong to Cuttack and living in the US since last three decades, but today’s experience of heritage with my students was excellent and we enjoyed it.’’
Jonika, a student, said she was so happy that she had no words to describe as the heritage tour brought a totally different experience, which would be engraved forever in the hearts of all participants from UCSC.
Cloe, who is originally from China and studies at UCSC, said the way the ancient traditions are preserved in the Old City of Bhubaneswar is marvelous.
Ray, another student from the UCSC said the settlements around the ancient monuments and their social interactions and especially the tendency of the local visitors to help the people coming from outside is a good example of the greatness of the locals and it would definitely help tourism and promotion of culture.
Mayank Choudhury, a first year BTech student from IIT Bhubaneswar termed his experience at Ekamra Walks as a great feeling to know heritage.
Amit Kumar, also a first year BTech student said, Rs Rs I am happy that in Bhubaneswar we are surrounded by so many monuments and we should preserve them well to cash in on their tourism potential.’’ R Pratyusha said, “We have enjoyed a lot during the Ekamra Walks and would like to come more to explore the heritage sites.’’ Interestingly, Arpita Patnaik (18), a special child with cerebral palsy came to the Ekamra Walks with her family, but with sheer determination and love for the monuments, could complete the walk by walking on her own. Her mother Charatjit Patnaik said, “My daughter has done something extraordinary today and there should be special heritage walks to include more special kids in future. Even I would request the organizers to organize one special walk on a special day for these kids.’’
Apart from UCSC, California and IIT Bhubaneswar, 10 students from ICICI Academy for Skills, Bhubaneswar also participated in the 34th Ekamra Walks and made it more memorable. Well-known heritage conservationist from Ahmedabad and co-founder of Virasat-E-Hind Foundation, Jitu Mishra was a guest at the walk.
The participants visited Mukteswar temple, Parsurameswar temple, Sampurna Jaleswar temple, Kaptitirtheswar temple, Bindusagar, Ananta Vasudev temple, Old Dharmasala, lingaraj temple, Chitrakarini temple,Sari Deula, Mohini temple, Parikrama of Bindusagar, Vaitaal temple and Ekamra Van.