Odia New Year celebrated with religious fervour

Bhubaneswar: The Odia New Year was celebrated with religious fervour with people distributing 'pana', a traditional cool drink on Saturday. As the day is also celebrated as the birthday of Lord Hanuman, devotees thronged several temples across the State.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also greeted the people of Odisha on the occassion of Maha Bisuba Sankranti.

To all my Odia friends across the world, greetings on Maha Vishuba Sankranti! Have a wonderful year ahead. We take immense pride in the rich Odia culture.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 14, 2018

"To all my Odia friends across the world, greetings on Maha Vishuba Sankranti! Have a wonderful year ahead. We take immense pride in the rich Odia culture," wrote Modi on Twitter.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also took to Twitter to wish people of the State on the auspicious day.

ପବିତ୍ର ବିଷୁବ ସଂକ୍ରାନ୍ତି ତଥା ଓଡ଼ିଆ ନବ ବର୍ଷରେ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ହାର୍ଦ୍ଦିକ ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ଓ ଅଭିନନ୍ଦନ। ମହାପ୍ରଭୁ ଜଗନ୍ନାଥଙ୍କ ଆଶୀର୍ବାଦରୁ ନବ ବର୍ଷଟି ଆମ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ସୁଖ ଓ ସମୃଦ୍ଧିର ବର୍ଷ ହେଉ। pic.twitter.com/zazI3nPFF5

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) April 14, 2018

Since early morning, devotees started making beelines to the temples with families to offer special prayers in Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and other parts of the State. Braving the scorching heat, the devotees actively took part in the special puja and other rituals performed at several temples.

Maha Bishuba Sankranti also marks a change of position in the Sun’s path and is, therefore, observed in mid-April every year. Among major highlights of the festival is the release of the new Odia religious almanac for the Hindu year.

"Pana Sankranti is one of the most auspicious day as we worship the Tulsi plant on this day," said Kartik Rath, a resident of Cuttack.