Odisha celebrated Akshaya Tritiya on Tuesday by holding state-level ‘Bhumi Puja’ across the state and farmers’ festival ‘Akhi Muthi Anukula’ at the state Farm Machinery, attended by State Agriculture Minister Arun Sahoo.

The ‘Bhumi Puja’ was performed and ‘Akhi Muthi Anukula’, the ritual of sowing seeds in their paddy fields after ploughing their lands, was observed by top leaders and ministers across the state. These include State Food Supply Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain at Tigiria in Athgarh, BJP State president Samir Mohanty at Athgard Block, Senior Congress Leader Suresh Kumar Routray at Bhubaneswar Block, Minister Raghunandan Das at Balikuda Block, Jagatsinghpur district and Minister Jyoti Panigrahi at Baleswar district.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and many state ministers greeted the people of the State on the occasion.

On the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya, many regions in India begin new ventures including marriages, investments in gold or other property. The festival holds special significance for farmers who offer prayers to their farming equipment and sow the first seeds.

The occasion also marks the beginning of the construction of chariots for the famous Jagannath Rath Yatra. Carpenters start making chariots for the Holy Trinity: Lord Jagannath, Balabadra and Subhadra, for the procession to be carried out on the day of the world-famous Rath Yatra.

Akshay Tritiya also marks the beginning of the Chandan Yatra festival in Puri. Madan Mohan, the representative idol of Lord Jagannath, along with the representative idols of Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, Bhudevi, Sridevi and five Shivalingas, known as Pancha Pandavas, are taken out of the sanctum sanctorum, placed in lavishly decorated palanquins known as bimanas and taken in a procession to Narendra tank.

Srimandir Temple Administration has made elaborate arrangements for the festival which will last for 21 days.

As per rituals, farmers observe the festival as ‘Siddhi and Suddhi Dibasa’. They wear new clothes, carry a basket of seeds and sow those in their fields. These seeds are known as offerings to Goddess Lakshmi and it is believed the ritual brings a rich harvest.

(With inputs from Manoj Jena, Navesh Mohanty and Satyajit Senapati)

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