SAMBALPUR: As the week-long festival concluded on Monday afternoon with the divine couple’s return to their respective temples, demand for the official recognition to Sambalpur Sital Sasthi festival grew stronger.
BJD district president and former minister Rohit Pujari urged the Centre to grant the national recognition to the festival. “Sital Sasthi is not merely a festival, it has evolved into a grand platform for promoting art and culture. It brings together diverse dance and music traditions from across India, giving them a distinct identity,” he said.
Former chief minister Naveen Patnaik had approved financial grants for various Sital Sasthi committees, acknowledging the festival at the state level. It is now time for the central government to step in and grant it the national recognition it truly deserves, he added.
This year, Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari and his wife assumed the ceremonial role of Goddess Parvati’s parents on behalf of Jhaduapada Sasthi Committee, offering her hand in marriage to Lord Shiva. The tradition, originating in the 17th century at the Someswar Baba temple in Balibandha, now includes several temples across the city.
The festival rituals, which began on May 27, transformed Sambalpur into a cultural and devotional hot spot. Around 8,000 artistes from across Odisha and other states performed in the vibrant carnival organised by Jharuapada, Nandapada, and Mudipada committees.
The district administration deployed around 75 platoons of police to ensure safety and manage crowds, with devotees arriving from across western Odisha and neighbouring Chhattisgarh. Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Deputy CM KV Singhdeo and several other dignitaries attended the festivities on Sunday.