- Evening Aarti to Dhaki Beats; Puja Festival Marks 27th YearBalasore, October 18 (Krushna Kumar Mohanty): Goddess Durga at Raniapatna in Balasore city has been adorned with a famous filigree crown from Cuttack and Vanavasi attire offered by devotees. The Raniapatna Sarbajanina Sharadiya Durga Puja has entered its 27th year this time, with a budget of ₹7.5 lakh allocated for the celebrations.
- Continuing its annual tradition, the goddess has once again been adorned with a beautifully crafted filigree crown made by renowned artisans from Cuttack. The Vanavasi attire presented by devotees has further enhanced the deity’s splendour. The idol crafted by artisans from Bengal, an attractive decorative gateway and captivating illumination are among the major attractions of the puja mandap.
- Every evening, the rhythmic beats of dhaki drums accompany the aarti, creating a deeply devotional atmosphere. On Saptami evening, a devotional musical presentation titled Matrubandana, based on the Shri Shri Chandi, will be performed. The programme is expected to be one of the special attractions of the
- festival.
- Prasad will be distributed among devotees every evening during the puja. Jhuna dance will be performed on Navami evening, while Dashami will feature Sindoor Khela by women along with various cultural programmes.
- The puja celebrations are being coordinated by committee president Professor Sheikh Giyasuddin, working president Debananda Panigrahi, secretary Jay Prakash Das and treasurer Harish Chandra Sahu. Debashish Chatterjee, Prabhat Mohanty, Deepak Sahu, Pankaj Agarwala, Prafulla Mohanty and other members are actively assisting in the organisation and management of the festival.
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