Tigiria -: The renowned Champak Dwadashi festival, held at the holy shrine of Lord Shri Shri Shankareswar Mahadev in Puruna Tigiria village under Puruna Tigiria Panchayat of Tigiria Block, concluded peacefully today. As per age-old tradition, this festival is observed every year on the twelfth day (Dwadashi) of the waxing moon (Shukla Paksha) in the month of Jyestha. It has been celebrated for generations following traditional customs and rituals.
Under the direct supervision of village head Ghanashyam Jena, the festival saw the grand procession of Lord Radha-Krishna’s movable idols. The beautifully decorated idols were carried on a palanquin (Biman), accompanied by umbrellas, ornamental fans (Chamars), and traditional music, as they paraded through the entire Puruna Tigiria village late last night. The procession finally reached the Shankareswar Mahadev shrine, where after traditional worship, the symbolic union of Hari and Har (Vishnu and Shiva) was performed.
Earlier, idols of Radha-Krishna from other areas of the block used to arrive at the temple, but now only the idol from the local Nijigada Panchayat participates in the procession to Shankareswar’s shrine. Following the arrival of the Radha-Krishna Biman, the main attraction of the festival—vibrant fireworks—was held near the Shankareswar temple, arranged by the residents of Puruna Tigiria and Nijigada villages. A large crowd from nearby areas gathered to witness the fireworks display.
The next morning, the temple premises saw the official commencement of the famous Champak Dwadashi festival. Many local vendors had set up stalls to display and sell their goods, giving the festival a fair-like atmosphere. It is estimated that over 5,000 people attended the festival. To enhance the cultural appeal, local youth groups organized various cultural programs. The event was graced by Panchayat Samiti Chairperson Sandhyarani Nayak as the chief guest.
Other esteemed guests included youth leader Abhishek Pattnaik, educationist Dr. Manoranjan Mohanty, retired army personnel Suresh Chandra Majhi, and village head Ghanashyam Jena, among others. They expressed their gratitude to all members of the festival committee, villagers, and youth groups for making the event a success.
Additionally, the Utkalmani Dramatic Club from Telisahi in Puruna Tigiria village is set to perform a social drama titled “Sei Gotie Bhul Pain” (“For That One Mistake”) tonight as part of the celebration, according to village head Ghanashyam Jena.
To ensure the festival concluded in peace and order, extensive security arrangements were made by Tigiria Police. Among other notable attendees were former Puruna Tigiria Sarpanch Pratap Kumar Jena, village committee secretary Santosh Kumar Nayak, leaders and secretaries of the three local wards, all members of the festival organizing committee, and local residents who played an active role in managing the entire event.
