Kalinga Baliyatra Mohatsav kick starts in Paradip

By Sukanta Kumar Mohanty

Paradip, Nov 8: The second famous Kalinga Baliyatra Mohatsav festival at Biju Maidan Baliyatra ground near Paradip sea beach kick starts on Monday. The festival symbolising the maritime trade and glorifies the legacy and prosperity of erstwhile Kalinga. Joining as the chief guest, the festival was inaugurated by Smt. Pramila Mallik, Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, Government of Odisha. Among others, Samir Ranjan Dash, Minister for School and Mass Education, Dr. Rajshree Mallick, MP, Jagatsinghpur, P.L. Haranadh, Chairman, Paradip Port Authority, MLA Prasant Kumar Muduli, Sambit Routray,Jagatsinghpur Jillaparisad chairman Manoj Kumar Bhoi,  Basant Biswal, Chairman Paradip Municipality, K.J.Patel,Director, IFFCO, Paradip unit and others were present as the respected guests in the inaugural function which was presided over by Kalinga Baliyatra Committee (KBC) chairman and district collector Smt. Parul Patawari. The entire programme was coordinated by Dr. Kanhu Charan Dhir, ADM cum vice chairman, KBC and assisted by all members.

Apart from the cultural programmes by troupes from across the state,Odissi performance, Pallishree Mela,exhibition and awareness stalls of Paradip Port, IFFCO, PPL, JSW, AMNS and other were installed in the festival. Besides,  so many events and stalls would be the major attraction,the organisers said. Besides, to maintaining the law and order situation, seven platoons police force and twenty officers are deployed in the festival, informed N.C.Sethy, ASP, Paradip.

It is noted, former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik had started the Kalinga Baliyatra in 1992 to revive the glories of Kalinga’s maritime history and highlight the 2500-year-old cultural heritage of the State.