Immersion ceremony brings down the curtain on Durga Puja In BAMP

Durga puja celebrations reach feverish pitch in Berhampur

Source: The Sambad

Harihar Dash steps into Canadian theatre

25-year-old dancer to trot the globe to perform for Cirque Du Soleil

After a tryst with films, dance sensation from Berhampur city Harihar Dash is set to showcase his skills on the international stage. The ace dancer will be soon trotting the globe to perform for theatre company Cirque Du Soleil. The Canadian theatre company, which has branches in 22 countries across the world, got in touch with the 25-year-old for a fusion composition that will have a blend of Indian dance forms along with strong presence of Western contemporary styles. “I was asked to compose a two-minute sequence on a Beatles’ song fusing Indian and Western dance forms,” said Dash, whose forte is locking and popping and hip-hop. “The expert panel at Cirque Du Soleil liked the video and that is how I got this opportunity to be a part of the theatre company, which has the best dancers in the world in its troupe,” Dash said. Looking forward to the experience, Dash feels there is much he will get to learn during his one-year stint with the theatre troupe that performs at major events throughout the world. “From Hollywood’s top film and album choreographers to dancers, I will get a chance to meet many seasoned and expert performers and will try to learn more about new dance forms. I’m thrilled about the opportunities in store with this project and wish to enhance my skills in the craft,” he said. Dash will first be trained in the Montreal set-up of the theatre company after which he will join the Las Vegas unit of the entertainment production house. However, his journey with Odia films will not take a backseat, said the dancer turned actor. “I am currently busy with a project that will be released in three languages including Odia. The shooting will take some more time but since I will be leaving in June, I will try to complete the film so that I have a good project this year,” said Dash. Dash is both the male lead as well as the choreographer of the upcoming film.

Source: The Telegraph

Sea erosion destroys turtle eggs in Rushikulya river mouth near Berhampur

Berhampur (Odisha): A large number of eggs of Olive Ridley turtles were destroyed due to sea erosion in the mouth of Rushikulya river near Berhampur city in Odisha's Ganjam district where the endangered sea species nest. "We think around 10 to 20 per cent of eggs were washed away due to the sea erosion," divisional forest officer, Berhampur AK Jena said.

Around 1.06 lakh eggs were laid by Olive Ridley sea turtles in the Rushikulya river mouth, one of the nesting sites in the state in February.  Very few Olive Ridley turtles had nested in the place, where largescale sea erosion was taking place, DFO said. Local activists, however, said around 50 per cent of the eggs washed away in the high tidal wave.

The sea erosion took place just ahead of their hatching. The hatching is likely to be taken place in the second week of this month, about 45 days of the nesting, experts said. "As a large number of eggs destroyed due to the high tidal wave, this year very few hatchlings are likely to emerge from the eggs," said an expert.

Instead of their traditional site, the Olive Ridley turtles had nested in a new site, measuring about two-km near the river mouth. The new site is like an island and very vulnerable to sea erosion, DFO said.

He said the forest officials were waiting for the baby turtles, which are likely to emerge from the eggs from April 15 to 20. ? We will take steps to protect the baby turtles by deploying forest staff and volunteers in the area? he said.

Besides the famous Rushikulya river mouth, other famous nesting sites of the Olive Ridley sea turtles are Devi river mouth and Gahiramatha of Odisha coast.

Source: Zee Tv

Month long Chaitra Jatra ends at Tara Tarini Hill Shrine as faith enlivens tradition

With the chanting of the holy names of Maa Tara Tarini, recitation of hymns, Mantras and Jagna on the Fourth Tuesday, the month long Chaitra Jatra came to an end at the famous Tara Tarini Hill Shrine near Berhampur in Odisha. Considered as one of the biggest religious fairs in India, the Chaitra Jatra at this hill shrine has centuries old history behind it.  

It is noteworthy that of the 4 Adi Shakti Peethas and other major Shakti Peethas in India, it is only in the Tara Tarini Peetha, considered as the Sthana Pith (Breast Shrine) of Adi Shakti that the Chaitra Jatra is held over the entire month of Chaitra whereas in most other shrines it is held for just one day or the Nine days coinciding with Navratra culminating on Ram Navami.

Source: The Sambad

On the last Tuesday, following the age-old traditions, the Sevakas opened the sanctum sanctorum of the temple past the midnight on Monday. After Snana (the divine bath), Majana and Maha Arati the Amruta Kalasha or the first Bhoga was offered to the goddesses at around 3.55 a.m in the morning. Then the goddesses went for a Parikrama of the temple. After the completion of the Parikrama, large number of devotees who gathered on the hilltop to take the first glimpse of Maa were allowed for Darshan. The Darshan continued non-stop till the late evening of Tuesday.   

Like other Tuesdays of this month, around two to three lakh devotees gathered on the fourth and last Tuesday of Chaitra month in the Shrine. The large gathering of devotees and their prayers filled with emotion and enthusiasm surcharged the atmosphere of the ancient Shrine.

Around one thousand barbers were engaged in tonsuring the heads of around five thousand newborn babies on this occasion.   

As per traditional beliefs devotees preferred to climb the 999 holy steps to reach the hill top though transportation facilities to the hill top by Arial Rope way and special Buses were made available. They climbed 999 steps as a penance to get the blessing of the deities.

As per initial reports, so far around 20 lakh people have visited the shrine for Darshan during the month, including the four Tuesdays.

People from far off places like North and South India and from the neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Chhattisgarh, many Sadhakas from the Tara Pith and other famous Shakti Shrines of India, many Buddhists and Hindu researchers from Nepal and many people from abroad were present during the Chaitra Mela.  

A unique feature of this Shrine is that large number of people flocked to the Shrine from various nearby villages in their bullock carts along with their kith and kin. There were also large number of people seen feasting all across the Shrine as a thanksgiving gesture to the Goddesses. The fair comprising rural artisans had large number of buyers and onlookers. Many devotees who could not take the pain of reaching the hilltop made it a point to worship the sacred Ratnagiri Mountain (Tarini Parvat) from a distance.

It may be noted that over the years the number of visitors to this hill shrine have been growing steadily during this Chaitra festivals. As a result, large number of visitors and mainly the elderly persons who find it difficult to reach the hilltop by taking the overcrowded steps and special buses generally prefer the aerial Ropeway to the hill top which is first of its kind in Eastern India. But, the capacity of the existing aerial ropeway is limited. So, sensing the need to accommodate the ever increasing number of devotees, the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB) has decided to raise the capacity and frequency of Aerial rope-way service in collaboration with ‘USHA Pvt. Ltd’ a reputed Rope Way service provider in the country. It is expected that by this time next year the carrying capacity of the Aerial rope Way will increase many folds.      

On the occasion of the last Tuesday the District administration, Temple administration and Development Board made wide range arrangements like drinking water, Prasad, Transportation, Primary health care facility, traffic control, and police deployment for peaceful Darshan of the devotees. The office bearers, volunteers of the TTDB, different NGOs, voluntary organizations, media houses, corporate houses and local residents extended their helping hand through out the month to the devotees who came from various parts of the country. 

Visitors throng Tara Tarini

Some eight lakh visited the shrine during four Tuesdays of 'Chaitra'

Over eight lakh pilgrims visited Tara Tarini hill shrine in Ganjam district during the four Tuesdays of the Hindu month of Chaitra. 
On Tuesday which was the fourth and last one of the month, around two lakh devotees visited the shrine. Visitors in large numbers thronged the famous Shakti shrine from the wee hours till late evening. Devotees started thronging the spot from Monday night.......................... Link..The Hindu
The annual festivities pass off peacefully
A few projects were inaugurated during the festivities 

‘Chaitra' fest begins at Tara Tarini Hill Shrine

BERHAMPUR: Traditional Chaitra festival began at Tara Tarini hill shrine near Berhampur city, Ganjam district on Tuesday. Four Tuesdays of Hindu month of Chaitra are celebrated as a festival called ‘Tara Tarini Chaitra Jatra' at this hill shrine. Over a lakh devotees thronged to this hill shrine on the first Tuesday of Chaitra.

A new ghat road to the hill top was also opened for devotees. Apart from the road communication there is also a ropeway to the hilltop. But most of the devotees who visited the hill shrine on Tuesday preferred to trek to the hill top rather than opting for easier modes of travel. As per Pramod Panda, secretary of the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB), special buses have been arranged to transport devotees to the hill top, yet devotees including the aged, women and children preferred to climb 999 holy steep steps to reach the hill shrine. Around 95 per cent of the devotees preferred to climb to the hilltop. Flow of devotees continued from 4 a.m. when the gates of the temple were opened. It continued till evening. The TTDB authorities arranged medical facilities. A village fair also came up at the foot hill. Devotional cultural programmes continued at the hilltop and downhill.

This year, the almost complete new temple of this hill shrine attracted the visitors. According to TTDB authorities, the date for the ritualistic inauguration ceremony of the new temple would be decided a meeting to be held Thursday. Twelve senior Vedic pundits from all the nine traditional taluks of Ganjam district will attend the meeting.

Source: The Hindu