Minister Dharmendra Pradhan participates in Sital Sasthi yatra in Odisha's Sambalpur

ANI
26 May 2023, 05:25 GMT+10

Sambalpur (Odisha) [India], May 26 (ANI): On the occasion of the Sital Sasthi yatra in Odisha's Sambalpur, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday offered prayers and participated in the divine wedding procession of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

Speaking to ANI, he said, "We are fortunate that we have attended the wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati".

"On the occasion of Sital Sasthi, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati got married. For two days in the city, the Shobha Yatra will happen and later Lord Shiva will return here with Goddess Parvati. With great joy and great devotion, Sital Sasthi is being celebrated not even in Sambalpur but in Odisha where there are Shiv Temples," he said.

Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati's idols were shown to the public in a grand procession for doing 'darshan' of deities on Thursday night. As per the rituals, Lord Shiva, seated in a decorative palanquin was carried around the city almost the entire night.

The marriage was solemnised and chanting of Vedic mantras, blowing of conches and beating the cymbals. The entire process started on Wednesday afternoon and continue till the wee hours of Friday.

The rituals associated with the Sital Sasthi festival are carried out with great devotion and enthusiasm, showcasing the vibrant culture, art, and religious traditions of the region.

The history of the Sital Sasthi festival can be traced back several centuries ago. It is believed that during the reign of King Baliar Singh, the then king of Sambalpur, the festival was introduced.

The king was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and wanted to celebrate his divine marriage with great pomp and show. Thus, he initiated the tradition of the Sital Sasthi Yatra, which eventually became an annual event. (ANI)

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to The UK News.

More Information

null in null

Business

Section

Tech stocks lead Wall St lower, Nasdaq Composite falls 73 points

Wall Street slides, Dow Jones drops 115 points

NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks weakened across the board on Tuesday, led by the tech sector once more. I would say that the largest...

Google hits 150 million users for subscription service with AI help

Alphabet's Cloud service soars with Google One growth surge

SAN FRANCISCO, California: Google One, Alphabet's subscription service that offers cloud storage and AI-powered features, has surpassed...

China's heavy truck market maybe 50% electric by 2028: CATL chief

Half of China's heavy truck sales could be EVs by 2028, CATL says

BEIJING, China: China's sales of heavy trucks could be dominated by electric vehicles by 2028, with battery-powered models potentially...

Apple blocks Fortnite on iPhones in US, Epic Games says

Apple blocks access to video game Fortnite in US, EU, Epic Games says

STOCKHOLM, Sweden: Apple has blocked access to the popular video game Fortnite on iPhones in the United States and through Epic Games'...

Wall Street falters as America's credit rating is downgraded

Moody's AAA rating downgrade dents U.S. stock markets, dollar, bonds

NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks struggled on Monday as a further downgrading of U.S. debt by Moody's sent the dollar sliding and Treasury...

Richemont sales up 7% on strong jewelry demand

Cartier owner Richemont beats expectations as jewelry shines

PARIS, France: Richemont, the owner of luxury brands Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, posted a stronger-than-expected seven percent...

Soccer

Section