Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday dedicated the revamped Ma Tara Tarini temple in Ganjam district.
Participating in the function as the Chief Patron, Patnaik described the day as a holy day and sought the blessings of Ma Tara Tarini for the welfare of the people of Ganjam district.
Offering Puja at the temple, the Chief Minister said, ''Odisha is a land of Gods. The refurbishment of the temple is done with the blessings of the Ma Tara Tarini and congratulated the artisans and workers deployed for the revamp of the temple.''
Patnaik said the refurbished temple and the developed environment done at a cost of Rs 115 crore would help in attracting more devotees and tourists to the place.
On this occasion, Patnaik dedicated various facilities like interpretation centres, resting place, place for lighting lamps, central plaza, safe drinking water for the visitors and laid the foundation stone for the development of the Rushikulya river bank located 30 KM away from the shrine.
In addition to the ropeway, the shrine can also be reached by road and by climbing steps. The servitors of Sri Jaganath temple Puri, Lingaraj temple, Bhubaneswar, Ma Samalewari temple, Sambalpur, Sri Baladevjew temple Kendrapara and other temples participated in the function.
In addition to it several Ministers, MPs, MLAs, Chief Secretary and the Ganjam District Collector attended the function.
The Chief Minister felicitated sculptor Narayan Tripathi , and Smitesh Mohapatra, the grandson of eminent sculptor Padma Bibbusan late Raghunath Mohapatra who has contributed a lot for the revamp of the shrine. (UNI)