Odisha Review
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ODISHA REVIEW VOL. LXXII NO. 4 NOVEMBER - 2015 MANORANJAN PANIGRAHY, I.R.S. Commissioner-cum-Secretary SUSHIL KUMAR DAS, O.A.S, ( SAG) Director DR. LENIN MOHANTY Editor Editorial Assistance Production Assistance Bibhu Chandra Mishra Debasis Pattnaik Bikram Maharana Sadhana Mishra Asst. Editor Puspanjali Paikaray Cover Design & Illustration D.T.P. & Design Manas Ranjan Nayak Hemanta Kumar Sahoo Photo Kishor Kumar Sinha Raju Singh Manoranjan Mohanty The Odisha Review aims at disseminating knowledge and information concerning Odishaŏs socio-economic development, art and culture. Views, records, statistics and information published in the Odisha Review are not necessarily those of the Government of Odisha. Published by Information & Public Relations Department, Government of Odisha, Bhubaneswar - 751001 and Printed at Odisha Government Press, Cuttack - 753010. For subscription and trade inquiry, please contact : Manager, Publications, Information & Public Relations Department, Loksampark Bhawan, Bhubaneswar - 751001. Rs.5/- Five Rupees / Copy E-mail : [email protected] Visit : http://odisha.gov.in Contact : 9937057528(M) CONTENTS The Greatness of Purusottam Kshetra Bhagaban Mahapatra ...1 Odisha - A Destination of Choice ...3 Good Governance ...7 An Exclusive Interview with Shri Gokul Chandra Pati, Chief Secretary, Government of Odisha Dr. Lenin Mohanty ... 13 Maritime Activities of Early Odisha : An Archaeological Perspective Dr. Benudhar Patra ... 18 Odisha and South-East Asia ² A Study of Ancient Relations and Maritime Heritage Dr. Sunil Kumar Patnaik ... 25 Status and Performance of Sericulture in Odisha Dr. Kabita Kumari Sahu ... 37 Rediscovering the Jagannath Sadak Anil Dhir ... 43 Brave Odias¶ Maritime Voyage Parikshit Mishra ... 48 Religious Harmony in a Plural Society Prof. Surya Narayan Misra ... 50 Remembering the Great Barabati Fort Dr. Hemanta K. Mohapatra ... 53 BALIYATRA (A Festival of Odisha¶s Ancient Maritime & Historical Glory) Alok Ranjan Mishra ... 57 Growth of Museums in Odisha During the 21st Century Dr. Bhagawana Mahananda ... 59 Karttika Purnima and Maritime Heritage of Odisha Balabhadra Ghadai ... 75 Handicrafts of Odisha - An Overview Sanghamitra Kanungo ... 79 The Folk Dance of Ganjam : Danda Nacha Rabindra Nath Dash ... 81 An Analysis of Fertility Status of Women of Odisha as per Census 2011 Data Bishnupada Sethi ... 87 Cottage Industries in Colonial Odisha Dr. Prabodha Kumar Ratha ... 92 A Study on the Health Status of Tribal People in Gajapati District of Odisha Dr. Babita Das ... 96 Diwali in the City Dr. Shruti Das ... 98 Odisha Marching Ahead Towards Women Development Dr. Jyotirmati Samantaray ... 99 Odisha Update ... 101 BIRTHDAY TRIBUTES BIRTHDAY TRIBUTES Dr. Harekrushna Mahtab BIRTHDAY TRIBUTES Laxman Naik Birsa Munda Jayee Rajguru Dibakara Parida Nabakrushna Choudhuri Our Sincere Obeisance Late Harishchandra Baxipatra Editor·s Note Due to less rainfall and climatic changes there is drought-like situation all over the country. In Odisha also, the drought-like situation looms large. The Government has already announced a farm package of Rs.1000 crore on October 14th. The Government is well prepared. It was assuring to hear the message for farmers by the Hon¶ble Chief Minister that ³together we have faced many calamities in the past. The farmers of the drought-affected areas need not worry about loan. The State Government is making all out efforts to mitigate the sufferings of our farmers and protect their interest´. As I write my editorial, Shri Nitish Kumar has joined the hatrick league. However, the discourse happening and interactions being made has baffled me a lot. We in India have a rich legacy of tolerance and peacefulness. Amidst a huge spectacle of festivity, the people of Odisha are about to celebrate the Deepavali and Kali Puja which is preceded by Laxmi Puja on the full moon day after Durga Puja. In the meanwhile, the people of Bhubaneswar in Odisha are making all out efforts for this Smart City tag. In a boost to enhance tourism and specially Buddhist tourism, at the initiation of the State Government Air India has started operation between Varanasi and Bhubaneswar. It is a matter of pride that Hon¶ble Prime Minister has appreciated Odisha for being one of the top States in the ease of doing business during his address at an Economic Conclave. In the month of Karttik (October-November) people in Odisha have religious priorities spread across the month. As the month ends in the Karttik Purnima during the hallowed hours before dawn, the people of Odisha wake up to perform their ritual in the holy waters. They then float tiny boats of coloured papers, banana barks or cork with lights placed on them. They also invoke the blessings of their ancestor in return for the austerity observed. The blowing of the conch shells and ululation of the women folk makes us feel the presence of the Lords and our ancestors amongst us. This moment arrives every year on a full moon day in the month of Karttik. The symbolic festival of floating tiny boats recalls the ancient period of maritime glory of Kalinga which continued from 3rd Century B.C till 18th Century A.D. Reports of historians and visitors like Fahien and Hiuen Tsang bear eloquent testimony to wealth and prosperity of Kalinga during that time. Kali Das in ³Raghuvamsam´ rightly refers to kings of Kalinga as the king of seas (Mahodadhipati). After a long time under the leadership of our present Chief Minister we are again regaining back our glory. In every field we have proved our mettle and made India proud. The agenda of our Government is to maintain transparency and fight against corruption so that we are able to have inclusive growth. The persona of our Chief Minister, his simplicity, honesty remains our driving force. Editor, Odisha Review Odisha Review November - 2015 The Greatness of Purusottam Kshetra Bhagaban Mahapatra The greatness of Purusottam Kshetra is narrated Being affected with the task of creation and in Skanda Purana (Vaishnav Khanda) which is wondered about the means by which the human the largest of all Puranas. It contains eighty eight thousand and one hundred slokas (stanzas). Once, while sage Jaimini was describing about the greatness of Purusottam Kshetra to the assembled sages, all of them curiously asked him ³Where is Purusottam Kshetra ? ³Jaimini replied Purusottam Kshetra is situated at the eastern coast of Bharatvarsha and to the south of the river Mahanadi which is in Utkal. There is a Nilagiri mountain at the sea coast known as Tirtha Raja Mahodadhi. Odra desha Iti Khyate Barshe Bharatsamgyake Dakhinasyodadhestire khetram Sripurusottamam beings could get escaped from three major types (Sloka 23Ch. 7 Skanda Puranam) of sorrows that is Adibhoutika, Adhidaivika and Adhyatmika. Lord Brahma prayed Lord Vishnu All the persons of this land are devotees of Lord Vishnu. This holy place never experiences for guidance and the latter directed him to go to natural calamities of any kind. This Purusottam Purusottam Kshetra for solution. This Kshetra is Kshetra is graced by the presence of a majestic the holiest of all places in the world. Those who wooden idol Vishnu i.e. Lord Jagannath. During have fully devoted to Me take birth in this Kshetra. ancient time, Lord Vishnu incarnated as Varah This place is not affected by deluge. I dwell at liberated Prithivi (Bhu Devi) from the depth of this holiest place leaving all my kith and kin as Rasatala from the clutches of a mighty demon Lord Purusottam. Hiranyaksha and Prithivi had then gained Sarbasangaparityaktastatra tishami dehabhut normalcy. Lord Brahma thereafter resumed the Surasurabatikramya barteham Purusottame. task of creation with forests, mountains and holy places wherever necessary in a beautiful manner. (Sloka 36 Ch. 1 of Skanda Purana) 1 November - 2015 Odisha Review In That Kshetra there is one Banyan tree whether the man, animal, birds and insects, there known as Kalpa Bata and near to that tree there sins will be completely absolved of like cotton is a holy pond called Rohini Kunda. Anybody who sets in fire. Those who reside here are not under gets chance to take a holy dip in Rihini Kunda or your control." Yamaraj then wanted to know the get in contact with the water of that pond gets area of the Purusottam Kshetra. Goddess Laxmi absolved from all of his sins in life. O Brahma ! said- Purusottam Kshetra resembles like a conch You pay your visit to that place so that you will shape voluted towards the right hand side and its be able to know the virtuous of the place. Lord area is ten sq. miles, of which about six sq.miles Brahma went to Purusottam Kshetra as per are inside the sea for which the sea is known as instruction of Lord Vishnu. On reaching Tirtha Raj. Rest portion of Kshetra is graced by Purusottam Kshetra Lord Brahma could see Lord the presence of Lord Shiva. They are Yameswar, Vishnu in the same form as he could see at the Kapalmochan, Markandey, Isaneswar, time of prayer and meditation. At this moment Nilakantha, Khetrapala, Bilweswar and Bateswar. Lord Brahma saw a thirsty crow came and after Man becomes liberated from gravest sins on taking bath in Rohini Kunda and seeing the worshipping the above eight Lord Shivas. Further celestial body of Lord Vishnu, his crow image the Purusottam Kshetra is well protected by eight was changed alike of Vishnu. Lord Brahma was Goddesses from all the eight directions. The names astonished and thought that like crow all would of these eight Goddesses are Mangala, Alamba, be freed from vicious cycles of birth and death. Kalaratri, Marichika, Ardhasini, Chandarupa, Suryanandan Lord Dharmraj (Yamaraj) also Sarbamangala and Khetreswari Vimala. As the equally thought that his power of causing death center of this conch shaped Kshetra Lord Vishnu had no effect on people living in Purusottam manifests Himself in the form of wooden structure Kshetra. Worried with this, Yamaraj rushed into as Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Mother Purusottam Kshetra and prayed for Lord Vishnu's Subhadra and Chakraraj Sudarshan to bless all intervention in the matter.