Bhadrak: As many as 81 tableaus participated in a grand procession in Bhadrak town of Odisha on the last day of Shri Ram Navami Mahayajna on Thursday.
The tableaus from across Bhadrak district congregated at Nehru Stadium in the town in the morning. The taleaus started the procession from the stadium at around 3 pm and went around the town. More than one lakh people participated in the celebration as the tableaus went through Banta Chhak, Apartibindha Chhak, Kacheri Rooad, Town Hall Chhak, Nua Bazaar, Kuansa, Kodambabeda, Chandan Bazaar, Puruna Bazaar, Lahapati and Snthia before converging at Gandhi Padia where the yajna was being performed for the last three days.
Decorated with colourful lights, the tableaus were accompanied by ‘Sankirtan’ troupes as the devotee raised slogans of Jai Shri Ram and Jai Bajrang Bali amid blowing of conches and beating of drums and cymbals along the way.
The tableaus came from Bankasahi, Jagnnathpur, Bagurai, Januganj, Karigharia, Kuansa, Mathasahi, Charampa, Gabasahi, Garadapur, Bhadrakalisahi, Bentala, Arei, Patanasahi, Samaraipur, Jalanga and Ichhapur. Besides, cultural clubs in the town also participated in the procession with their tableaus.
While people from all sections of the society participated in the procession, the organisers served ‘Dahi Pana’ (a drink prepared with curd), and cooked prasad to them.
The district administration had made elaborate security arrangements for smooth conduct of the festival. As many as 35 platoons of police were deployed to ensure law and order during the procession in the communally sensitive town. Bhadrak SP Varun Gunthupali personally supervised the security arrangements.
