JAJPUR: Bhaskar Chandra Nayak, a non-resident Odia, has pledged to donate Rs 1 crore towards building a Jagannath temple at his native village in Odisha's Jajpur district. A doctor by profession, Bhaskar who hails from Jagatpur village under Jajpur block, is currently settled in the US.
While three residents of the village - Satrugna Pradhan, Bijay Kumar Pradhan and Ajay Pradhan - have donated the land required for the construction of the temple and boundary wall, Bhaskar committed Rs 1 crore for the purpose. Along with wife Indrajita, he performed the Bhumi Puja (ground breaking ceremony) for the temple on Thursday.
Reminiscing his childhood, Bhaskar said he was an ardent devotee of Lord Jagannath just like his father. "I still remember how my father took me to Puri Jagannath temple by carrying me on his shoulder when I was a child. I had a dream to build a Jagannath temple in my native village and the dream came true after the bhumipujan for the shrine was performed," he said, adding that the construction work has already started.
Bhaskar said whatever he achieved in life was due to the grace of Lord Jagannath and thanked all the villagers for supporting him in his endeavour. Villagers of Jagatpur rejoiced on the occasion.
We had never expected that one day, a Jagannath temple would come up in our village. But a native of the village residing in America has made it come true. We are proud of Bhaskar," said Rabindra Pradhan, a villager.
This will be the second such temple built by Bhaskar. Earlier, he had built a Jagannath temple in America to spread Odia culture and tradition there.