ଜାନୁଆରୀ ୧୫ରୁ ଆରମ୍ଭ ହେବ ବୃହତ ମୁକ୍ତାକାଶ ରଙ୍ଗମଞ୍ଚ ବରଗଡ଼ ଧନୁଯାତ୍ରା ମହୋତ୍ସବ । ୨୫ ତାରିଖ ଯାଏଁ ୧୧ ଦିନ ଧରି ବରଗଡରେ ଚାଲିବ ମହାରାଜ କଂସଙ୍କ ରାଜୁତି । ବରଗଡ ଧନୁଯାତ୍ରା କମିଟିର ଅଧ୍ୟକ୍ଷ ତଥା ଜିଲ୍ଲାପାଳଙ୍କ ଅଧ୍ୟକ୍ଷତାରେ ବସିଥିବା ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତି ବୈଠକରେ ଧନୁଯାତ୍ରା ପାଇଁ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟସୂଚୀ ସ୍ଥିର ହୋଇଛି । ସୋମବାରଠାରୁ ସ୍ଥାନୀୟ ଗାନ୍ଧୀ ଛକ ନିକଟ କଲ୍ୟାଣ ମଣ୍ଡପ ପରିସରରେ କଳାକାରଙ୍କ ପୂର୍ବାଭ୍ୟାସ ମଧ୍ୟ ଆରମ୍ଭ ହୋଇଯାଇଛି। ୧୯୪୭ ମସିହାରୁ ବରଗଡ଼ ସହରରେ ଧନୁଯାତ୍ରା ପାଳିତ ହୋଇ ଆସୁଛି । ୧୯୪୭ ମସିହାରେ ଇଂରେଜମାନଙ୍କୁ ହଟାଇ ଭାରତୀୟମାନେ ସ୍ୱାଧୀନତା ହାସଲ କରିଥିଲେ । ବରଗଡ଼ ସହରର କିଛି କୁଲି କାମ କରୁଥିବା ଲୋକେ ଏହି ବିଜୟ ଉତ୍ସବକୁ ନିଆରା ଢଙ୍ଗରେ ପାଳନ କରିବା ପାଇଁ ଧନୁଯାତ୍ରାର ଆରମ୍ଭ କରିଥିଲେ । ବରଗଡ଼ ପୌରାଞ୍ଚଳର ୭କିମି ପରିଧି ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଆୟୋଜିତ ଏହି ଯାତ୍ରା ପୃଥିବୀର ବିଶାଳତମ ଖୋଲା ରଙ୍ଗମଞ୍ଚ ଭାବେ ଜଣା । ବରଗଡ ସହର ପାଲଟିବ ମଥୁରା ନଗରୀ ଓ ଅମ୍ବାପାଲି ପାଲଟିବ ଗୋପପୁର। ବିଶ୍ୱର ଏହି ବଡ ମୁକ୍ତାକାଶ ରଙ୍ଗମଞ୍ଚରେ କୃଷ୍ଣଜନ୍ମଠୁ ଆରମ୍ଭ କରି କଂସବଧ ଯାଏଁ ବିଭିନ୍ନ ଦୃଶ୍ୟ ଅଭିନୀତ ହୋଇଥାଏ । ପୌରାଣିକ କଥାବସ୍ତୁ ହରିବଂଶର ମଥୁରା ବିଜୟକୁ ନାଟ୍ୟ ରୁପାନ୍ତର ଆକାରରେ ମଞ୍ଚସ୍ଥ କରାଯାଇଥାଏ ।

Union Education, Skill Development, and Entrepreneurship Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated three Skill on Wheel buses by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) at Goshala in the district. These buses will operate in Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, and Dhenkanal districts. Speaking on the occasion, Pradhan asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dreamt of a developed India by 2047 and the country is moving forward on the path of progress swiftly. The demand for artificial intelligence and machine learning has increased. India is going to become the manufacturing hub for the world, he said. The initiative aims to provide digital skill training, making information accessible to youths in various colleges, focusing on digital literacy, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship. The buses equipped with modern tools will empower rural youths, especially girls, and women. Plans are underway to launch more buses in other villages in the future.

Preparation for the world-famous Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath and sibling deities commenced in Puri, Odisha. The Rath Tatwabadharak, Sudarshan Mekap, along with two servitors, will travel to Nayagarh on February 1 to seek the deity’s consent and perform rituals. They will carry with them an ‘Agyan Mala’ (garland of the Lords’ consent), Patani, Saree offering, Takua Sarapuli, green gram Pitha and Ladu Mahaprasad. The other two Sevayats (servitors) are Bhoi servitor chief Rabi Bhoi and amin Laxman Mohapatra. The team will reach the temple of goddess Badaraula in Badamula under the Nayagarh forest division and invite the presiding deity. A Havan (homa ritual) will be performed at the shrine on February 2. The team will identify wood logs for chariot making, symbolically obtaining permission from the goddess. A total of 865 wood logs are needed for the three chariots, and the Ratha Katha Anukula ritual is set to take place on Shree Panchami. The car festival attracts devotees from across the globe to witness the grand procession.