Berhampur (Odisha), Jan 27 (PTI) The much-awaited four-day Gopalpur beach festival began in Odisha’s Ganjam district, with Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati inaugurating the event in the presence of ministers and officials.
Thousands of people, mainly from Berhampur and nearby villages, thronged the tourist town on the first day of the festival on Tuesday evening.
Before the festival was inaugurated, mashaal (torches) brought from Shakti shrines – Maa Tara Tarini near Purushottampur, Bala Kumari in Chikiti and Bagdevi of Kulada- were received by the governor.
Addressing the gathering, the governor said Gopalpur was not merely an attractive beach destination, it is a place where history merges with the present and tradition moves forward with progress.
“Our coastline is not just a physical boundary, but a symbol of livelihood and aspiration,” he said.
As part of the opening rituals, ‘Samudra arati’, a worship ritual deeply embedded in the coastal region’s cultural and spiritual heritage was performed to invoke the sea’s blessing for prosperity, safety and protection from natural disasters.
The ritual was performed by priests from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.
During the festival, a range of folk, classical and contemporary dance performances by troupes from Odisha and other states will be staged.
Bollywood and Odia film personalities are expected to be among the star attractions on different evenings. PTI COR BBM BBM MNB
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