Diwali holiday in Odisha likely on October 20, Monday; CM’s approval awaited

The Revenue Department on Friday proposed that October 20 (Monday) be declared a public holiday for Diwali in Odisha. However, the final decision is pending for Chief Minister’s approval. Only after CM Mohan Majhi gives his consent will the holiday on October 20 be officially confirmed.

Earlier, according to the official government calendar, the Diwali holiday was marked on October 21. This discrepancy has led to confusion regarding the actual date of the festival.

Meanwhile, the Srimandir Mukti Mandap Pandit Mahasabha has already declared that Diwali will be observed on October 20. With this declaration, all eyes are now on the Chief Minister’s decision, which will settle the matter for government offices and institutions.

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With confusion abounding over the date of Diwali, the highest body of pandits also appealed the state government to declare October 20 as a public holiday for Diwali instead of the notified date of October 21.

As per the astrological calculations, the rituals for ‘Paya Shradha’ or ‘Deepadaana Shradha’ and Diwali begin from the evening of October 20, it said. Working president of the Mukti Mandap, Biswanath Mishra, said since ‘Paya Shradha’ is not observed in the morning and there is an ‘amabasya’ on that day, it will be observed in the evening from October 20 onwards.

Since the celebration of Diwali on October 21, as suggested by a few ‘panjikas’, does not align with the Hindu norms, the Mukti Mandap Pandit Mahasabha, through a press conference, appealed to the state government to declare October 20 as a public holiday for Diwali.