ODISHA REVIEW VOL. LXVIII NO. 7 & 8 FEBRUARY - MARCH - 2012 NIKUNJA KISHORE SUNDARAY, I.A.S. Principal Secretary BAISHNAB PRASAD MOHANTY Director-cum-Joint Secretary LENIN MOHANTY Editor Editorial Assistance Bibhu Chandra Mishra Bikram Maharana Production Assistance Debasis Pattnaik Sadhana Mishra Manas R. Nayak Cover Design & Illustration Hemanta Kumar Sahoo D.T.P. & Design Raju Singh Manas Ranjan Mohanty Photo The Odisha Review aims at disseminating knowledge and information concerning Odisha’s 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. Five Rupees / Copy E-mail : [email protected] [email protected] Visit : http://orissa.gov.in Contact : 9937057528(M) CONTENTS The Jagannath Temple and the Sikh Arti Anil Dhir ... 1 Good Governance ... 7 The King Still Lives in His Kingdom Geeta Devi ... 15 Biju Patnaik and Odisha Politics Prof. Surya Narayan Misra ... 18 Social Justice, Panchayati Raj and Women Empowerment Dr. Pranab Kumar Rana ... 22 Financial Sustenance for Women's Empowerment - A Measure Towards Inclusive Growth Bindu Madhab Panda ... 26 Voices of Women of Odisha Dr. Sucheta Priyabadini ... 31 Biju Babu and District Reorganisation Dr. Tusar Kanta Pattnaik ... 37 Women of Odisha : Status and Challenges Prof. Asha Hans, Dr. Amrita Patel ... 40 A Different Freedom Fighter, Biju Gurukalyan Mahapatra ... 47 Women and Media Ethics Dr. Jayanti Jagadev ... 49 Co-operative Movement in Odisha : Highlights of Progress Sonali Senapati ... 51 Women Participation in Rural Local Self-Governance System in Odisha : A Constitutional and Reservational Dr. Benudhar Rout ... 55 Perspective N.T. Sahu Reminiscing with the Legend : An Interview with Smt. Annapurna Moharana Dr. Pragyan Das ... 65 Issues of Exclusion and Inclusion in Decentralised Local Governance Institutions in India Dr. Dasarathi Bhuyan ... 71 Makar Mela at Kalijai Hill Dr. Janmejay Choudhury ... 79 Realizing the Rights of Girl Child (An Indian Perspective) Susanta Kumar Shadangi ... 82 Puranic Thought of Planting and Protecting Trees : A Lesson to the Modern Mankind Nihar Nalini Singh ... 88 Biju Patnaik : The Dynamic Person Siba Sundar Pattanaik ... 91 Panchayati Raj in Odisha : An Overview Rabindra Kumar Behuria ... 94 Speech of Shri Prafulla Chandra Ghadai, Minister, Finance in the OLA on the Occasion of Presentation of the Budget for the year 2012-13 ... 99 Editor’s Note I write this note at a time when our Chief Minister has opposed the Centre’s move to convene a meeting of State D.G.Ps with Union Home Minister to deliberate over the contentious National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) and demanded that the Prime Minister has to address the Chief Ministers first. Prior to this, he had started reviving talks about a Third Front in national politics which will be transparent, corruption-free and secular. Not long back, under his leadership the Biju Janata Dal made a sweeping victory in the recently conducted Zilla Parishad polls. Translating the victory in 651 Zilla Parishad Zones in terms of Assembly Constituencies comes to more than 120 of the 147 Assembly Constituencies. The highest ever Budget proposal for Odisha amounting to Rs. 52755.15 crore has been placed for the Finance Year-2012-13. The Budget proposal seeks to further consolidate and strengthen the intervention made for ensuring Food, Employment and Health security for the citizens of the State. The best part is that, there has been an increase of 42.64 % in the allocation for Agriculture. This clearly proves that our Chief Minister has put his feet firmly on the ground and now it is his turn like his legendary father and Socialist leader Biju Patnaik to play a major role in the national mainstream politics. Shri Biju Patnaik was a dreamer but to make it a reality he could go to any extent. At one time not a very feasible Paradeep Port, Express Highway, Sunabeda MIG Factory was made a reality because of his relentless efforts. There was no end to his dreams. He was a political leader but never a comprising one rather a person who held both power and position for a very long time because he was different in the field of politics. He was a Pilot, but a fearless one, who brought the President and Vice-President of Indonesia to India amidst a fierce battle. He was an industrialist but the profit was used for the benefit of the poor and setting up of the prestigious Kalinga Prize. He took pride in identifying himself as the successor of the emperor Kharavel and the people accorded him that honour. Biju Babu’s flamboyant and assertive personality and love for politics has made him a darling of the masses and unparalleled leader of the country. His worthy son has since taken over his father’s legacy and is now ready to go one step forward. The step taken by the Odisha Government in the recently concluded Panchayati Raj elections by providing 50 % of seats to women is historic. This is related to the recognition of the value of women’s contributions to the production process, household work and in the public field. On March 8th we will celebrate the International Women’s Day to recognize that peace and social progress require the active participation and equality of women and to acknowledge the contribution of the women. In the last decade under the leadership of Shri Naveen Patnaik much progress has been made in women’s access to education and proper health care. Their participation in paid labour force has grown and legislation that promises equal opportunities for women and respect for their human rights has been adopted. The empowerment process that was encouraged by legendary leader Shri Biju Patnaik has been made multifold under the leadership of his worthy son and leader of the masses Shri Naveen Patnaik. I feel the common factor between both these legendary personalities who are incidentally father and son lies in the fact that both of them are dreamers. The question is the approach, while Biju Babu was flamboyant, Naveen Patnaik is artistic. But both of them love Odisha and its people more than they loved themselves. On this 5th of March the birth anniversary of the Statesman Shri Biju Patnaik, let us all join hands with our beloved Chief Minister to bring a smile on the face of every Odia. Both of them are doers, be it removing poverty, creating jobs and empowering the villages and the villagers, they led by examples. Let us learn to criticize less and be doers more. That will be the greatest tribute to the legendary leader Biju Patnaik on the eve of his birth anniversary. (Lenin Mohanty) Editor, Odisha Review February - March - 2012 Odisha Review The Jagannath Temple and the Sikh Arti Anil Dhir The veteran actor Balraj Sahni, who taught in Puri in 1506 CE that this Arti was composed. Santiniketan in the late 1930’s, once asked The temple priests conducted an elaborate Arti Rabindra Nath Tagore, “You have written the every evening. They brought a big platter on national anthem for India. Why not write an which were many lighted lamps, and the international anthem for the whole world?” accompanying paraphernalia of flowers, incense, “It has already been written, not only for the world but for the entire universe. It was written in the 16th century by Guru Nanak,” replied Tagore. He was referring to the Sikh Arti (the ceremony of light). Gurudev Tagore was so enamoured of this Arti that he had personally translated it into Bengali. Every evening, after the recitation of Rehraas Sahib, the melodious rendition of this Arti, sung ornaments, pearls etc. and began the Arti. This by the Raagis in Raga Dhanashri, can be heard in was accompanied with the beating of drums and Gurudwaras. Listening to the Arti is a tremendously cymbals, the ringing of the bells and chants from soothing experience, capable of taking one directly the scriptures. into the spiritual realms of devotion through music. Guru Nanak was a saint of the Bhakti It has been aptly mentioned by Guru Arjan Devji Cult and its exponents had the goal of uniting the in the Sri Guru Granth Sahibji: “Arti kirtan sada human race through true devotion to God and anand”, which translates as “Singing God’s emphasised the oneness of God. He, along with praises is His Arti, and this brings boundless bliss”. the other exponents of the Bhakti Cult like As legend has it, it was during Guru Ramananda, Kabir, Chaitanya, Namdev, Nanak Devji’s visit to the Jagannath Temple at Tukaram and Ramdas had all originally believed 1 Odisha Review February-March - 2012 in the formless worship of the Lord. But the nothing had happened. However the priests symbolic image of Lord Jagannath was neither of persisted that he explains his conduct and then any “Akar” nor was it “Nirakar”. The perplexed Nanak spoke: Nanak seeing this “Kimkar” (of which form?) “Dear brothers ! Does our Jagannath image, was simply astonished and was exist only here and in this wooden image? Is he overwhelmed with deep reverence. He not dazzling in the aura of his own greatness, inside understood the universalism of Jagannath and all creation? Cannot his Mahima be felt and started the ‘Namakirtan’ of the Lord in his own experienced without the accompanying rituals? “ way. Basically, Nanak believed in the formless Guru Nanak had by that time understood worship of ‘Nirakar’- Brahma and his motto was the real potentialities of Lord Jagannath.