Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to develop a ‘Lakshmi Purana Corridor’ at the Samadhi Peetha of 15th-century poet Balaram Das in Gop area of Puri district to promote the state’s cultural heritage.
The proposed corridor will be set up near the memorial shrine of poet Balaram Das, the composer of Lakshmi Purana, at Begunia village under Gop block, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida announced at a national seminar titled “Shakti Bandanara Mahagatha – Balaram Das’s Lakshmi Purana” at the Mission Shakti Bhavan in Bhubaneswar on Thursday.
The proposed corridor will go a long way in promoting the message of social equality and women’s empowerment enshrined in the revered literary work of the poet.
Parida, who also holds Tourism portfolio, said the Lakshmi Purana is not merely a religious text but a symbol of social transformation that advocates justice, equality, dignity, hard work and self-respect.
She said the Tourism Department has prepared a blueprint for the proposed corridor at Balaram Das’ Samadhi Peetha aimed at showcasing Odisha’s rich culture, heritage and spiritual traditions to a global audience.
A conceptual video of the proposed corridor was screened during the seminar.
Law, Works and Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan, who attended as the guest of honour, said the Lakshmi Purana is more than a hymn dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi and serves as a guide for respecting and honouring women. He lauded the Tourism Department’s initiative to take the literary masterpiece to a wider international audience.
The seminar brought together eminent scholars, researchers, writers and cultural personalities, who deliberated on the literary, cultural and social significance of the Lakshmi Purana, with a special focus on its messages of women’s empowerment and social equality.
