CUTTACK: Dressed in saffron attire and carrying puja accessories on a stick on his shoulders, Sports and Youth Services Minister Chandra Sarathi Behera was among thousands of Kanwariyas on their barefoot journey to Shiva temples in the Twin Cities.
On the third Monday of the Odia calendar month of Shravan, the Minister easily mingled with other devotees. Unfazed by the new responsibility as a Minister for the first time, Behera took a holy dip in Chitroptala river at Chandi Thakurani Pitha near Kenduptana like previous years. He carried water on his shoulders to Shaktiswar Shiva temple at Baninangar in Natakai gram panchayat under Nischintakoili. The temple is about eight km from Chitroptala.
The Shaktiswar Shiv temple was built by his late father and former minister Kalindi Behera in 1993. “This is the 19th year I am on this religious trip with a desire for welfare of the universe,” the Minister said.
After performing ‘Jala abhishek’, the Minister also conducted a review meeting with Nischintakoili block officials on different developmental programmes undertaken in 14 gram panchayats under the block located in Cuttack Sadar constituency.