BJP Govt Sanctions Rs 2.57 Crore For Kartika Brata Observance In Odisha’s Puri

Bhubaneswar: The BJP government has granted Rs 2.57 crore for Kartika Brata observance by Habisyalis in Odisha’s Puri town.

The amount has been sanctioned to provide all kinds of facilities and support to Habishyalis, including secure accommodation, during the month-long ritual, Odia Language, Literature & Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj informed on Tuesday.

Since huge crowd of Jagannath devotees are also expected to visit the pilgrim town during the holy month, steps also are being taken to ensure proper traffic arrangements, sanitation, drinking water and electricity supply, he added.

Earlier, Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain had said that the district administration will host 2,500 habisyalis duringKartika Brata, beginning October 18. The district administration will take care of their boarding, food (Mahaprasad), transport to and from Shree Jagannath Temple, evening religious discourses and other brata needs. Doctors will be posted in the town to take care of the health of the elderly women.

Special programmes and kirtans have also been scheduled in Puri for the habisyalis.

Elderly women and widows perform Radha Damodar Puja and eat only once a day during the Kartika month and remain engaged in religious activities by worshipping the ‘Tulsi’ plant and visiting Shree Jagannath Temple.

Habisiali Bhavan, a seven-storey building dedicated to habisialis was inaugurated by the then CM Naveen Patnaik in October 2023.