Berhampur: The propagation, conservation and protection of Jagannath culture is being carried out under the aegis of ‘Ama Odisha, Nabin Odisha’ programme of the state government. Ahead of the Parikrama Prakalpa inauguration January 17, three ‘Arpan’ chariots set rolling in Ganjam district Saturday which will tour the panchayat samitis in the district till January 14 and collect offerings of raw rice (Arua chaula) and betel nut (Gua) from every household for Lord Jagannath. Various programme related to Jagannath culture will be organised during the tour.
The three chariots collected the rice and betel nuts in the presence of hundreds of Jagannath devotees at Nandika, Kanchuru, Dayapalli and Gobarapalli villages. V Keerti Vasan, executive officer, Zilla Parishad Ganjam launched the programme at Nandika village.
A divine ordain (Agyanmala) was obtained from the Sundar Madhav temple in Nandika village to launch the march of the chariot in the village. Sankirtan troupes and residents accompanied the chariot during the tour of the village.
The second Arpan Rath toured the Kanchuru village, starting from the Jagannath temple in the village. Block Chairperson Saraswati Sethy, senior member N Raghunath of District Planning Board. Zilla Parishad member (zone no-67) Bai Geetanjali, sarpanch Madan Sethy, PEO Pratap Sahu were present on the occasion.
The third Arpan Rath toured the Dayapalli village, starting from the Balukenshwar temple. Samiti member Ipili Rajarao, PEO Shankar Rao, and other members of the panchayat were present on the occasion.
The Arpan Rath, collecting raw rice (Arua Chaula) and betel nuts as offerings from every household in 268 panchayats of 11 blocks in Puri district, toured 25 panchayats in the district on the first day. The chariot designed on the theme of Srimandir Parikrama Prakalpa was welcomed by the residents amid the chanting of Haribol, ululations and the blowing of conch and Sankirtans by troupes. Women from every household offered fistfuls of raw rice and betel nuts as the chariots rolled on the village roads.
The Rath toured Gopinathpur, Kashi, Hariharpur, Malatipatapur and Talajanga panchayats under the Sadar block, Gadasanaput and Aanlajodi panchayats under Kanas block, Kakatpur panchayat under Kakatpur block, Nuapada panchayat under Krushnaprasad block. The chariot also toured Bhogasalda panchayat of Nimapara block, Chhaitana panchayat of Gop block, Ambapada and Dimirisena panchayats of Brahmagiri block, Panidola, Danda Mukundpur and Teispur panchayats of Pipili block, Alasihi, Alangapur, Nagar, Naiguan and Astaranga panchayats of Astaranga block. Later, it toured Sujanpur panchayat of Delang block as well as Sukala and Dugal panchayats of Satyabadi block.
PNN