Cuttack: On the occassion of the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, all roads in the Millennium City led to his birthplace Museum at Janakinath Bhawan, Odia Bazar.
With the members of Cuttack Heritage Walks (CHW) deciding to march towards the memorial of national importance as a special heritage initiative, the patriotic rhythms of the live bands came as an inspiring note as students of different educational institutions also marching towards in the same direction.
People of all age groups came in hordes to pay their respect to the son of the soil, who led the Indian National Army (INA).
CHW’s Netaji Heritage Walk started with a trail around and inside his birthplace and ended with a short film on Laxmi Panda, an unsung INA member who came into limelight due to the efforts of writer-historian Anil Dhir, also a prominent member of CHW.
Birthplace Museum
The museum was also decorated with beautiful paintings made by artists at a workshop earlier at Rashtriya Lalit Kala Kendra, Bhubaneswar. The masterpieces of art on the life of Netaji, freedom struggle and patriotism was admired by one and all. Beautiful flowers on the lawns of the Janakinath Bhawan also created a wonderful setting with people from all walks of life and sections of the society coming to garland the statue of the great leader near the entrance of the museum.
Right from the birthplace to the Azad Hind Radio, provisional government of Azad Hind, study room, the spiritual leaders who were followed by the residents of the small but beautiful palatial home, weapons of INA, Netaji’s prison life and library all came alive. The murals on the walls also created a perfect ambience for the visitors to tell a tale on the life and work of the leader.
As is the practice, the walk ended with traditional Odia street food.