Kotpad, March 31: The nine-day Ghata Yatra of Maa Sheetala Thakurani, the presiding deity of Kotpad, began on March 23. The festival will conclude on April 1. On this occasion, the town of Kotpad has turned festive, with the ceremonial procession of the deity’s sacred pot (ghata) starting in the morning and continuing till late at night.
A huge crowd is gathering to witness the grand procession and the beautifully decorated tableaux and chariots during the deity’s temple visit. For entertainment, traditional performances like Daskathia, melody shows, and tribal dances are being आयोजित. The Meena Bazaar has become a major attraction, featuring various rides such as swings, toy trains, and water-based amusements.
The entire town has been decorated with colorful lighting. Nabarangpur MP Balabhadra Majhi and Kotpad MLA Rupu Bhatra are also associated with the event.
Regarding the management of the festival, the administration has held discussions with the organizing committee, including President Mani Patnaik, Secretary Rameshwar Jena, Treasurer Binayak Acharya, and members such as Jatindra Mohapatra, Buli Gouda, Gaur Rath, Pankaj Kumar Patra, Tankeswar Nayak, Gopinath Bisoi, Sekhar Das, Kishore Mishra, Ravi Kumar, and Suren Mohanty.
On behalf of the administration, Tahsildar Trinkil Sethi, IIC Fakir Mohan Khara, NAC Executive Officer Kamalesh Mahant, along with officials from the electricity and fire departments, are overseeing the arrangements.
Keeping in view the large crowd, the movement of heavy vehicles within Kotpad town has been restricted since March 20, and traffic has been diverted through a newly arranged bypass road.
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