KORAPUT/JEYPORE: Amid the rhythmic beats of drums, resonating conch shells, and vibrant chants of Hari Bol, Rath Yatra was celebrated at Adim Srikhetra in Koraput’s Kotia panchayat headquarters on Friday.
Thousands of devotees, including members of tribal communities from across Koraput and adjoining regions, gathered to pull the beautifully decorated wooden chariot of the holy Trinity.
Deputy chief minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Revenue minister Suresh Pujari, School and Mass Education minister Nityananda Gond, Steel and Mines and Transport minister Bibhuti Jena, and Fisheries & Animal Husbandry minister Gokulananda Mallick joined villagers in pulling the chariot.
The festival witnessed a rare moment of political unity, with Koraput MP Saptagiri Shankar Ulaka, who is from the Congress, and other opposition leaders also pulling the chariot. Other leaders including Balabhadra Majhi, Jeypore MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati, CLP Leader Ramachandra Kadam, and former MP Jayaram Pangi also joined the celebration.
The Kotia Jagannath Temple, established 22 years ago with the inspiration of Puri Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, has grown into a potent symbol of Odisha’s cultural sovereignty in the disputed Kotia region. This year’s celebration, however, stood out as historic.
“For the first time, several ministers of the state have come together to celebrate the Rath Yatra here. Kotia was with Odisha in the past, is in the present, and will remain with the state in the future. People should have no doubts about this,” said Singh Deo.
Pujari said, in the past year, the government has done its best to improve the livelihood of people in Kotia and is planning a comprehensive development roadmap for the coming days.
Women in vibrant traditional attire recited bhajans, while elderly tribal priests led the rituals, reaffirming the deep-rooted bond between Lord Jagannath and the forest-dwelling communities who revere Him as Daru Devata.
Pujari announced that monthly reviews of all government departments will now be held at Kotia under the chairmanship of collector V Keerthi Vasan to ensure faster implementation of welfare schemes. He also revealed plans to construct a guest house and improve local infrastructure as part of Odisha’s long-term development strategy for the region.
Senior officials, including the Koraput collector, district administration, and security personnel, were present to ensure the smooth conduct of the festival, which has evolved into a confluence of devotion, dignity, and an assertion of Odisha’s presence in the region.