Report by Kahnu Nanda, JAGATSINGHPUR: The entire Jagatsinghpur district has been on with spiritual fervor and religious ambiance for the last two days. Arpan Rath is moving out in 8 blocks and 2 Urban Local Bodies across the district covering Grama Panchayats, villages, hamlets, and municipality wards collecting betel nuts and rice from Lord Jagannath devotees.
Official sources informed that block development officers have shaped out route charts, date, and time slats block-wise detailing the scheduled arrival of Arpan Rath in their Panchayats and villages. The Panchayat Sarpanchs, PRIs representatives, WSHG members and designated block staff have been assigned to smoothly conduct the Rath rolling in their region.
The report said that special functions were organized in each block and the Rath was flagged off in the presence of block officials, Panchayat Samitte chairpersons, MLAs, PRI members and BJD leaders. The state government has made efforts through Arpan Rath rolling to mobilize people to participate in the Shree Mandira Parikrama project consecration ceremony to be held on January 17 and spread message among people concerning dissemination, conservation and protection of Jagannath cults in Odisha.
The government endeavors have overall responded encouraging impact on people, scores of households in each village were witnessed offering betel nuts and rice during Arpan Rath visits to their areas.
As the Shree Mandira Parikrama project consecration ceremony will be held on January 17, efforts have been made to mobilize people to participate in the occasion from the Panchayat level. With chanting of Jay Jagannath slogans and reciting devotional songs by Kirtan troupes the makeshift chariots are moving from villages to villages. The people carrying offerings are welcoming the chariot with full spiritual devotion and absorption.
Sources informed that in some villages the residents have discontinued eating non-veg foods and performing sacred practices in houses during the Arpan Rath rolling out in villages, even non-veg items selling have been banned.
However, a few people have expressed unhappiness triggering the Arpan Rath route chart has exclude their village as a consequence they are missing to witness the Rath and to give offerings. However block officials on reply informed us that it is impossible Arpan Rath to reach each nook and corner of Panchayats, the route charts have been made taking major points and convenient road accessibility, if anybody is unsuccessful in giving offerings they may give it in the village temple where the Rath usually taking night halt, said block officials.
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