Puri: Hailing Kartika Brata as an extraordinary confluence of self-purification, sacrifice, dedication and devotion, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday said it is a living symbol of the patience and strength of the state’s mothers.
The Chief Minister made this remark while addressing the state-level Habishyali Samaroh in the pilgrim town of Puri.
As many as 2,658 Habishyalis from all 29 districts of Odisha are observing the sacred Kartika Brata in Puri this year.
Speaking to the woman, Majhi said the month of Kartika holds a deep place in Odisha’s cultural, traditional and spiritual life. Quoting the traditional mahatmya, he noted that all the tirthas and yajnas combined cannot equal the merit of Kartik Brata.
“Kartika Brata is not merely a religious observance or programme. It is the symbol of our mothers’ forbearance,” Majhi said.
He stressed that women constitute nearly half of the state’s population and that his government has been committed from day one to the development and empowerment of women from every section of society.
The Chief Minister highlighted the improved facilities now available to the Habishyali. Earlier, many women had to stay in maths and dharmashalas under difficult conditions. This year the state government has arranged safe, comfortable and free accommodation, Mahaprasad, daily evening bhajan and pravachan sessions, and complete free kit bags containing a saree, japamala, brata book, uttariya and dry bhoga.
The arrangements at Brundabati Nivas, the Railway Tourist Complex and Mochi Sahi Kalyan Mandap have been made with an outlay of more than Rs 3.30 crore.
Majhi interacted with the women, enquired about their stay and facilities, and linked the spiritual observance with the government’s concrete welfare measures.
Under the Subhadra Yojana, more than one crore women receive Rs 10,000 annually. Nearly 27 lakh women have become self-reliant through the Lakshpati Didi scheme, placing Odisha at the top nationally. Almost 40 per cent of the current state budget—Rs 1,22,764 crore—has been earmarked for women’s development and welfare.
Majhi also mentioned the Shri Jagannath Darshan Yojana that brings senior citizens from districts by AC bus for darshan and Mahaprasad, and the saturation drive under the Madhubabu Pension Yojana so that eligible persons aged 60 and above can start receiving social security pension by the time they return home after completing the brata.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to Odia identity and Jagannath culture in line with the Prime Minister’s “Vikas bhi, Virasat bhi” approach, Majhi listed key decisions: opening of the four gates of Srimandir, creation of a ₹500-crore corpus fund, establishment of a world-class museum and research centre in Puri, and conversion of Puri into a municipal corporation to develop it as a global religious and tourism destination.
Puri MP Sambit Patra, Brahmagiri MLA Upasana Mohapatra and Pipili MLA Ashrita Pattanaik were among those present.