Narla (Lingaraj Mishra): The Balipada Golden Jubilee Navratri Durga Puja is in full swing, celebrating 50 years of tradition. This year, the festival has expanded to a nine-day Navratri Puja, illuminating the Balipada market with lights. The Golden Jubilee Ceremony is a collaborative effort between the Jayadurga Puja Committee and the Balipada Merchants Association. Sarpanch Antanram Majhi of Bhanpur chairs the ceremony, with Tapan Padhan as vice chairman. The Jayadurga Puja Committee, led by Lochan Sahu as President, has organized a lively entertainment programme spanning all nine days of the Puja, keeping devotees engaged from 7 o’clock in the evening into the night. In a special touch for the Golden Jubilee, a Toran resembling the famous Swami Narayan Temple (Akshar Dham) in Gujarat has been constructed, adding to the grandeur of the celebration. Former Sarpanch Sabita Sahu and Lochan Sahu take on the roles of Karta for the Navratri Durga Puja. Bijaya Khadanga and Nila Khadanga are also actively involved in the preparations. The Puja is led by Brahma Pandit Ghanshyam Tripathi and his associates, Shiba Tripathi, Taru Padhi, and Nikunj Padhi, with support from the dedicated members of the Puja Management Committee and the Balipada Merchants Association.
