Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Majhi on Tuesday joined the Ghibli trend bandwagon as he shared a picture of his, paying homage to Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das, on Odisha’s formation day.
Taking to his X handle, he described Satyabhamapur, the birthplace of Utkal Gaurav Madhusudan Das, as a pilgrimage site for every Odia. “This holy land is the birthplace of the Odia language in modern India and the birthplace of the founder of the independent state of Odisha. People of this land fought against all adverse circumstances and gave us a unique identity.”
Net-savvy Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu had taken to Ghibli trend.
Earlier in the day, Majhi attended the state-level ‘Odisha Dibasa’ function at Satyabhamapur village in Cuttack district, the birthplace of Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das, one of the architects behind the formation of a separate Odisha state on April 1, 1936.
The CM also laid the foundation stone for Integrated Development of Madhusudan Das’s Birthplace with an investment of Rs 21 crore. Satyabhamapur will be developed as a centre of Odia nationalism. The project would include an interpretation centre, a renovated ancestral home (Entudishala), a statue, a guest house, a library, and a light-and-sound system at a nearby water body.
“Every drop of our blood is filled with Odia identity. Our lifestyle, conversations, food… everything is imbued with pure Odia-ness. We are committed to advancing that Odia-ness and Odia identity. Therefore, from today until April 14, we are celebrating ‘Odia Heritage’,” he said, urging every Odia to eat traditional Odia food, wear Odia attire, converse in Odia, and read Odia newspapers during this period.
He also reiterated his government’s pledge to make Odisha a $500 billion economy by 2036 and a $1.5 trillion economy by 2047.
ODISHA DIBASA IN DELHI’S OFFICIAL CALENDAR
Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta has declared that Odisha Dibasa would be included in Delhi’s official state calendar and celebrated as Odisha Parv. The decision is viewed as an acknowledgment of the Odia community’s contribution to the nation capital and a measure to enhance cultural ties between the two states.
CELEBRATION AT SANKHA BHAWAN
The BJD celebrated the day with patriotic songs, garlanding of photographs and statues of prominent persons, who dedicated their lives to the formation of a separate Odisha state.
While calling upon the people to identify themselves as ‘proud Odia’, BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday asserted that none can stop the development of Odisha. He claimed that poverty in the state came down significantly from 2000-24 and described the 24 years as a “New Era In Odisha’s Development”.
“Odisha will celebrate its centenary foundation day in 2036. With everyone’s cooperation and effort, the dream of the great legendary leader Biju Babu to make Odisha the No. 1 state in Asia can be realised,” he said.
On this occasion, Naveen felicitated renowned linguist Dr Devi Prasanna Patnaik, former Jharkhand minister Dr Dinesh Sarangi, poet Dr Mini Sarangi, and Everest winner Mamata Raut for their contributions.
