Balasore’s Ravan Podi Enters 26th Year: Electronic Fire System to Add Attraction
Balasore, 25/9 (Krushna Kumar Mohanty): Like every year, the Balasore Ravan Podi Committee will organize the grand Ravan Podi celebration this year as well. To announce the details, the committee held a press conference on Wednesday evening at Atithi Bhawan in the town.
Committee president Dr. Lakshmi Narayan Mohanty informed that the event will be held on October 1 (Wednesday evening) at the ITI Ground, Balasore. Odisha’s Higher Education, Language, Literature, Culture and Tourism Minister Surjyabanshi Suraj will grace the occasion as chief guest. Among other dignitaries attending the celebration are Government Chief Whip and Remuna MLA Gobinda Chandra Das, Balasore MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Balasore Sadar MLA Manas Kumar Dutta, Simulia MLA Padmalochan Panda, former MP Rabindra Kumar Jena, former MLA Jiban Pradip Das, Zilla Parishad President Narayan Chandra Pradhan, Eastern Range DIG Pinak Mishra, District Collector Surjyabanshi Mayur Vikas, SP Pratyush Dibakar, Additional District Magistrate Sudhakar Nayak, Sub-Collector Sib Malabiya, and Balasore Municipality Chairperson Sabita Sahu.
For the first time this year, an electronic fire system will be used for burning the effigies. In addition, artistes from West Bengal will stage a dance-drama depicting the battle between Rama and Ravana, Dr. Mohanty added.
Executive President Rajendra Pattnaik, Vice-President Bhagabat Sahu, General Secretary Kishore Das, Joint Secretary Simon Das Mohapatra, Advisor Padmalochan Lenka, Councillor Ranjita Mohapatra and others participated in the discussion on the programme’s outline. As the Ravan Podi enters its 26th year, several attractive cultural programmes will also be staged to make the celebration more appealing, Dr. Mohanty said. Editor Ramnarayan Satapathy delivered the vote of thanks.
Among others present were Editor Chitta Ranjan Panda, Ajikali Editor Nirmalya Mohanty, Councillors Preetilata Sethi, Minati Sethi, Sandhyarani Bhuiyan, Nityananda Sethi, Chhabirani Mantri, and Shubhendu Pattnaik.
