Rayagada’s cultural extravaganza Chaiti launched from Devagiri Shiva Temple
Dr.Badal Tah,Odishabarta
Rayagada, December 12: The famous tribal festival of Rayagada district, transformed into the most important public festival of traditional art and culture, was launched from Devgiri Shiva Temple at Kalyan Singhpur Block. The program was inaugurated by Additional District Magistrate Bhaskar Raita, who himself is a tribal, on behalf of Rayagada district by performing puja at Shaiva Peeth according to traditional rituals. Holy water in an earthen pot(Kalash) was brought from Devagiri hill, abode of Lord Shiva with the blessings of Krantikari Baba.
Earthen pots filled with holy water from rivers from eleven blocks of Rayagada district were carried by local tribal women with traditional attire. With traditional music, dance & songs the Chaiti Kalas Yatra started. Scheduled Caste and Tribal Welfare Minister Jagannath Saraka, Rayagada MLA Makaranda Muduli, Gunupur MLA Raghunath Gamang, Special Development Council Chairperson Anushaya Majhi, Zilla Parishad Chairperson Saraswati Majhi, Chief Development and Executive Officer Zilla Parishad, Nihar Ranjan Kahar, PD-Watershed as Nodal Officer Dayanidhi Bag, Sub-Collector-Rayagada Kalyani Sanghmitra Devi, PA-ITDA-Rayagada, Sudhir Das, BSKY Advisor, Bidulata Huika, CWC Chairperson and many representatives from each block were present at the launching ceremony.
District Culture Officer(DCO) Sasmita Bauri, who is on long leave from Tuesday, also attended the function, though little late. District Information & Public Relations Officer(DIPRO) Basant Pradhan is taking over charge from DCO Bauri as she seems to have meshed with huge irregularities of last year’s Chaiti. District Magistrate Swadha Dev Singh approving her leave has been highly appreciated by public. DIPRO Pradhan has ample experience of conducting Chaiti in a smooth & transparent manner in past years and he is expected to live upto the expectations of all the stakeholders.
First Block-level Chaiti program has been held in Kalyan Singhpur Block with the launch of the district level function. Senior scribes and social workers from the district namely Dr Badal Tah, Gopal Singh Adhikari, Jogeswar Das, Rashmi Ranjan Dora, Rabindra Patakhandal, Ajay Rath, Ranjan Rath, Deepak Kumar Prusty, Mohan Garadia & many other dignitaries attended the launching ceremony. There will be one day events of Chaiti in other ten blocks and a three days Sub-divisional Chaiti at Gunupur. Articles on Odia, Engilish, Kuvi & Saura have been called for in the souvenir called “Chaitali” depicting aesthetic culture, language, art and history of the district, which will be published during the five days event from December 26 to 30 at the district level.
