Saturday 31 October 2015

Shifting of NHAI office Berhampur to Balasore


Friends, Please raise your voice against this anti Berhampur stand of the Naveen Patnaik led BJD govt...otherwise this negligence towards Berhampur and South Odisha will continue for ever............
-Ram Prasad Tripathy

Friday 9 October 2015

Shodasa Puja commences at Tara Tarini Shakti Peeth


The famous Sodasha Puja at Tara Tarini Shakti Peeth near Berhampur in Odisha started from Mulastami i.e. on 04 October, 2015. This Puja will continue till Mahastami i.e. on 20th October, 2015. In major Shakti Peethas like Kamakshya, Daksinakali, Tara Tarini, Bimala, Chamundeswari and Maha Kali the Durga Puja is observed for 16 days, starting from Bhadrapada Krushna Paksha Ashtami to Ashvina Shukla Paksha Navami of the Hindu Calendar, also known as Shodasa Puja or  Shodasa Dinatmaka Upachara.
Noteworthy Tara Tarini is worshiped as the Breast Shrine (Sthana Peetha) and manifestations of Adi Shakti. The Tara Tarini Shakti Peetha is one of the oldest pilgrimage centers of the Mother Goddess and is one of four major ancient Tantra Peethas and Shakti Peethas in India.
Amidst chanting of hymns the Sodasha Puja also known as Devi Utthapana began at Tara Tarini shrine after 3.00 pm on Mulastami. 108 Sevakas of Tara Tarini Shakti Peeth brought 108 pots of water from the holy Rushikulya River flowing at the foothill of the shrine.  After rituals of Snana, Majana, Mangala Arati, Maha Arati, Chhandi Path and commencement of Chandi Yagna in the established tradition, the goddess gave darshan to her devotees in the Rajarajeswari Besha and the entire process continued till 12.30 pm next day.

As per the information from the shrine, the Chandi Patha and Chandi Yagna started on the first day of Sodasha Puja will continue till last day of Vijayadashami / Dussehra. Out of the 16 days, the Navratri Puja will start from October 13 and will culminate on October 21. Navaratri is the last nine days of Shodasa Puja and the Shakti is also worshiped by devotees in different pandals for a period of nine days.
According to the Vedic scriptures, Adi Shakti or Goddess Durgā is a symbol of power. She is worshipped in nine different forms and is therefore termed Nava-durgā. Each of the nine manifestation of Durgā are  worshipped with full devotion during Navarātri at Tara Tarini Adi Shakti Peeth. These nine forms of manifestation are Śhailaputrī, Brahmachāriṇī, Chandrakaṇṭā, Kuṣhmāṇḍā, Skandamātā, Kātyāyanī, Kālarātrī, Mahāgaurī and Siddhidātrī. It is believed that if worshipped ‘Nava Durgā’ with religious fervor during Navaratri, it bestows all spiritual fulfillment to a devotee.
The Sodasha Puja, Navratri and Vijayadashami are very important and major festivals in the religious calendar of this Shakti Peeth. During this entire 16 days period, the sanctum of Maa Tara Tarini remains open round the clock for Darshan of the devotees. Lakhs of devotees gathering to obtain darshan of Maa during Sodasha Puja.

Ram Prasad Tripathy

PRO, Tara Tarini Development Board, 
Berhampur, Odisha

Saturday 1 August 2015

IIS-ER Odisha to come up at Berhampur

IISERs are a group of premier science education and research institutes in the country

The Indian Institute of Science Education & Research (IISER) would come up in the southern city of Berhampur.
"The state government would provide 200 acres of land for IISER. Academic session would commence from 2016-17", said state minister for employment, technical education & training Sanjay Das Burma.
Union finance minister Arun Jaitley had announced the establishment of IISER in Odisha in the Budget for 2015-16.
"Today is a h istoric day for the people of Odisha since chief minister Naveen Patnaik today decided to set up IISER at the life line of southern Odisha, Berhampur in Ganjam district", Dasburma told reporters here.
"Berhampur has necessary infrastructure like road, rail and air connectivity, which is in conformity with the central guidelines. This apart, the state government is committed to provide temporary campus facility for this institute of national importance in and around Berhampur", he added.
The IISERs are a group of most premier science education and research institutes in the country. These institutions have been declared by an Act of Parliament as institutions of national importance and are intended to be the IITs of basic sciences. The institutes were created by the Government of India, through the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), under The National Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2010.
Five IISERs have already come up in the country at Kolkata, Pune, Mohali, Bhopal and Thiruvnanthapuram. In the 2015-16 Budget, two new IISERs were announced for Odisha and Nagaland.

- BS Reporter  |  Bhubaneswar I August 1, 2015

Thursday 2 July 2015

Odisha Govt failed to identify required land for the airport in Berhampur

Minister of State for Civil Aviation informed the Rajya Sabha on 12-August-2014 that Government plans to develop 3 new airports in Odisha at Jharsuguda, Berhampur and Jeypore. The Minister stated that, "a team from Airports Authority of India inspected Jharsuguda, Berhampur and Jeypore airports and observed that the Jharsuguda (AAI airport) can be developed for operations of A-320 type of aircraftwhereas Berhampur (State Government airport) can be developed for ATR-72-500 for which additional 267 acres of land is required. Jeypore (State Government airport) can be developed for ATR-72-500 for which additional 253 acres of land is required". But, the Odisha Govt has failed to identify the required land for the airport in Berhampur and has gone in to complete silence on this issue.

For Berhampur people Sidhanta Mahapatra is not a hero ......................


Friday 29 May 2015

GANJAM FORUM HOLDS DRIVE FOR IIM AT BRAHMAPUR

To strengthen the demand for setting up of the proposed IIM Odisha at Brahmapur and to create public awareness on the apathetic attitude of the State Government towards the silk city, the Forum for Ganjam held a drive here on Tuesday. Forum members distributed pamphlets and leaflets among the public at important places like Khallikote Collage, Girja Square, Ramalingam Tank Road, Gandhinagar, Komapalli. The pamphlets displayed information on how Brahmapur has been neglected.


The forum members alleged that ignoring the demand to set up the proposed IIM at Brahmapur, the State Government is contemplating to have the institute in Sambalpur or in Bhubaneswar. Form coordinator Sidhir Sahoo and members J Suresh, Rajendra Panda and Rabi Kumar, among others, joined the awareness drive.

Friday 24 April 2015

Orissa CM's nod for university status to Khallikote, RD colleges


The state government on Thursday approved the proposals to upgrade Khallikote Autonomous College, Berhampur and, RD Autonomous Women's College, Bhubaneswar to universities.
Higher education minister Pradeep Panigrahy told the media that the universities would function from 2015-16 academic year. RD will become a women's university. Around 50 women's colleges, which are under Utkal University, will be affiliated to it. The exact shape of the university and its affiliated colleges will be decided soon. Besides the existing 25-acre campus, the government will look for another 25 acre for its second campus, the minister said.
Khallikote will be part of a cluster university, comprising five nearby colleges. The other four are S D Women's College and Binayak Acharya College in Berhampur, besides colleges at Chhatrapur and Gopalpur, the minister said.

The government will spend Rs 55 crore each on infrastructure development of the two universities. The funds will be drawn from Rashtriya Uchhatar Shiksha Abhiyan, a central-sponsored programme for higher education.

-TNN | Apr 24, 2015

Monday 20 April 2015

Famous Thakurani Yatra extended by 11 days in Berhampur


In view of popular demand, the district administration in Ganjam has extended the famous Thakurani Yatra on April 19, 2015 in Berhampur by 11 days. The biennial festival, which started on March 28, will continue till April 27, officals said today.


Initially, the district administration had allowed the festival committee to hold the yatra for 20 days even though the latter had sought permission for 31 days.
"Several people approached the district administration requesting for extension of the festival", said Sub-Collector (Berhampur) Nikhil Pawan Kalyan.

The festival is attracting huge crowd from different places and hundreds of the people are thronging the Silk City to witness the famous Yatra. Locals dressed like mythological characters are seen moving around the city and so are chariots in different shapes like boita (ship) and doli (swing).

Saturday 21 March 2015

Famous Berhampur Thakurani Jatra to begin from March 28

The famous Budhi Thakurani Jatra of Berhampur will start from March 28 this year and will continue till April 27. Preparations for the biannual festival have started at the Desibehera Street in Berhampur after the Subha Khunti (auspicious post) was laid on March 12.
Devotees in huge numbers expected to visit the temporary temple at the Desibehera Street at the time of Jatra,
Devotees in huge numbers expected to visit the temporary temple at the Desibehera Street at the time of Jatra,
Devotees in huge numbers expected to visit the temporary temple at the Desibehera Street at the time of Jatra, 

“The construction of the temporary temple at the Desibehera Street has started, it will take four more days to complete,” informed the craftsman of the temporary Mandap Dasarathi Maharana. The Jatra begins with the arrival of the floral sign of the deity (Aagyamala) to the temporary temple. This will be followed by Ghata Yatra in which the Aagyanmala will be taken on a public procession around the streets of Old Berhampur.
As devotees in huge numbers are expected at the time of Jatra, the Public Health Department has planned to increase drinking water supply in the Bada Bazar area.
As informed by the Executive Engineer of PHD Deba Sundar Mahapatra, around 20 temporary stand points will be placed in Desibehera Street and the nearby places. Water tankers will be positioned on different squares of the city at the time of jatra.
20 March 2015 | Ronalisa Parida | Edited By: Longjam Dineshwori
http://microstatindia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2296&catid=19&Itemid=630


Sunday 1 March 2015


Railway line from Gopalpur to Kandhamal demanded

A group of intellectuals of different social organisations and civil society forums on Wednesday demanded rail connectivity from Gopalpur to Phulbani and extended connection with the Khordha-Balangir railway line.
The intellectuals including Sriya Nayak, Dr Subash Chandra Sahu, Deepak Pattnaik and Sudhansu Panda said the Kandhamal district of south Odisha is yet to get railway connectivity. As communication is one of the vital components of development, people of the district are deprived of it, they added.
They said the rail connectivity would help to develop the economy standard of these areas. Rail connectivity to the Gopalpur port would not only create jobs, but also enhance business in the State. Kandhamal, which is famous for its spices like ginger and turmeric and forest goods, would get easy connectivity to market its products. It would also help to attract investment in the region, said the intellectuals.

Source: The Pioneer 

Thursday 19 February 2015

Tara Tarini Chaitra Yatra/Mela to be polythene-free


The famous Maa Tara Tarini Chaitra Yatra of Ganjam is going to begin from March 10. As per traditions, it will be performed on the four Tuesdays of the month of Chaitra. Keeping in view the flow of lakhs of devotees to the temple, the district administration held a preparatory meeting at Chatrapur on February 10. Revenue Divisional Commissioner (SD) and chairperson of the Tara Tarini Development Council Sailendra Narayan De presided over the meeting.

Old Image of Tara Tarini Shakti Peetha :Braving heat lakhs of
devotees standing in long queue to enter the famous Tara Tarini hill temple

(Breast Shrine of Shakti) near Berhampur city in Ganjam district, Odisha

Ganjam Collector Premchand Choudhury explained the significance and pride of the heritage temple and the famous yatra and sought the cooperation of all the service wings of the district administration and people of all walks of life for smooth and successful conduct of the yatra.
The meeting, among other things, decided to make the entire region of Maa Tara Tarini Temple free from polythene, construct adequate  rest sheds to protect devotees from possible heat wave, provide drinking water, put in place effective traffic system for transportation of devotees, provide temporary healthcare camps and sanitation in the temple premises, deploy fire fighting vehicles and ODRAF team, prohibit sale and consumption of liquor and other drugs in the region, repair and renovate all approaching roads on war footing and construct temporary toilets for devotees, among others.
It was also decided in the meeting that the Chatrapur Sub-Collector will review the progress of the preparatory work once in each week till the yatra begins. A master plan for all-round development of the temple was presented. The committee advised the chief of the Technical Committee Binod Kumar Patra to complete all the pending works on war footing.
Among others, Maa Tara Tarini Temple Development Council secretary Pramod Kumar Panda, Additional Collector Pradeep Kumar Nanda, CDMO Dr PC Sahu, the Ganjam ADMO, the Chatrapur Sub-Collector, the Purushottampur BDO, representatives of Sevayats Tapan Rana and Jagannath Rana attended.