Berhampur: Rallies, seminars, yoga camps and exhibitions marked the celebration of the first National Ayurveda Day here Friday.
The day was also celebrated as Dhanvantari Jayanti with a large number of people rushing to purchase gold and silver ornaments as part of the Dhanteras festival.
While doctors’ forum, an organisation of doctors and AYUSH doctors’ association in Ganjam district took out a bike-rally for promotion of Ayurveda, the students and teachers of the government-run Kaviraj Ananta Tripathy Sharma (KATS) Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Ankushapur near here also conducted a rally to create awareness among the people on Ayurveda. The college also organised a seminar on the control of diabetes through Ayurveda, while the Central government launched ‘Mission Madhumeha though Ayurveda’ on the occasion.
The students of the Ayurvedic college displayed different medicinal plants, which could control diabetes. At least 18 students displayed the diabetic control related plants in the exhibition, which was inaugurated by additional district magistrate (ADM) Saroj Mishra.
“We are organising different activities related to the diabetic as per the direction from the ministry of AYUSH,” said college principal AN Padhi.
He said free medicines were distributed among patients in the health check-up camp, where a number of patients from the nearby areas turned up. Though National Ayurveda Day was celebrated for the first time in the college, Dhanvantari Jayanti was celebrated like previous years with gaiety.
Jewellery shops witnessed huge a turnout as people believe Mahalaxmi, the goddess of wealth, would be evoked if one purchased gold on the day. PNN
