Rourkela/Berhampur/Kendrapada: President Droupadi Murmu, Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, and chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi among others on Sunday extended greetings to the people of Odisha on Raja, the three-day festival that celebrates womanhood.In a social media post, President Murmu said: “On the occasion of this mass festival ‘Raja’, I extend my heartfelt greetings to the people of the country, especially the people of Odisha. This festival of the monsoon season is celebrated to honour the earth, the mother, and the clouds.”Chief minister Majhi described Raja as “a unique confluence of Odia identity’s living tradition, soil, and maternal energy”.In Rourkela, people thronged shops offering varieties of Raja paan, which are integral to the fest. People enjoyed feasting on pithas, riding swings and chewing paan. Paan outlets were seen preparing varieties of meetha paan and did brisk business.In Berhampur, several visually-impaired girls, aged between 5 and 18 years, of a privately run residential school in Berhampur celebrated Raja festival on Sunday. Clad in new dresses, the girls played and danced in a ground near their school at Andhapasara Road. The organisers installed swings for them. The girls distributed traditional sweets and pancakes. Around 60 orphan girls of a child care institute in Ganjam district took part in the celebrations at Panthanivas, Gopalpur-on-Sea, organised by Odisha State Tourism Development Corporation.At Khanditar village under Rasulpur block, known as the cradle of kabaddi in Jajpur district, several sports enthusiasts poured in to witness the opening ceremony of the four-day-long 71st National Level Kabaddi Tournament, started on Saturday on the occasion of Raja. The foundation stone of a Rs 12-crore indoor stadium at Khanditar was laid after the tournament inauguration. A sports hostel will be built and coaches and trainers would be appointed to train the sportspersons.Binod Sah, a native of Bihar, at Bisra road here , has also done verygood business today by selling Raja paan and people are thronging to hisshop There are varieties of paan in his shop like Ice Paan, Chuski Paan,Chocolate Paan, Fire Paan, Mango Paan, Khush Paan, Sandal Paan, Pineapplepaan, Rose paan. The cost of Ice Paan to Rose paan ranges from Rs.30 toRs.40/- each. Mithla special paan which is also available in this shop costRs.60/- each. The costliest meetha paan available in this shop is Rs.250/-per piece. They put 21 different types of masala in this paan and all themasalas mostly come from Rajasthan and West Bengal. This shop also sellingmeetha paan which costs Rs.20/- each and eight types of meetha paan masalasare put in this paan. Most of the people coming to this shop, to purchasethe paan and to chew there and also ask them to pack the paan, to take withthem. After preparing paan, silver foil is added on the paan and thereaftervarieties of cream, they put on the paan and finally the paan is packed insmall aluminium food container. “I have done very good business today byselling Raja paan and I have sold paan of Rs.15000/- till now today and Ihope I would sell paan of Rs.50000/- during these days festival.” saidBinod“I come to this shop during Raja festival every year because the paan ofthis shop, is very tasty. I have today come to buy meetha paan from thisshop and will take to my home for my family.” said S K Biswal, a residentof Sector -16 here.Narayan Jena, another Paan shop owner here, who is selling Rs.20/- perpaan, has sold meetha paan of Rs.5000/- till evening on Sunday. ” I havetoday done very good business by selling Raja paan. I have till now soldpaan of Rs.5000/- .” said Narayan Jena, the paan sellerPrakash, another paan shop owner here, is very happy that he has donebusiness of Rs.10000/- till now by selling meetha paan. “ I have soldmeetha paan of Rs,10000/- till now and I hope I would sell paan of aroundRs.30000-40000/- in these three days Raja festival.” said Prakash. Prakash is also selling each paan @Rs.20/- .Berhampur: Several visually-impaired girls, aged between 5 and 18 years, of a privately-run residential school in Berhampur celebrated the Raja festival on Sunday. Deck up in new dresses, the girls played and danced in a ground near their school at Andhapasara Road here. The organisers installed the swings for them. The girls distributed the traditional sweets and pancakes.The festival was celebrated by the state-owned Odisha State Tourism Development Corporation at its Panthanivas at the beach resort town Gopalpur-on-Sea. Around 60 orphan girls of a child care institute in Ganjam district participated in the festival at Patnanivash.
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