Deogarh: Showing an unusual patriotic gesture and to build brotherhood, residents of Kirtanpali village under Reamal block in Deogarh district unite every morning to hoist the National Flag and recite National Anthem, a report said.
According to reports, such a tradition of spreading the patriotic fervour is seen only in this rural village. The adoration of Kirtanpali villagers for the country and countrymen has earned accolades from many quarters.
As a routine work, the villagers unite at a stand-post in front of Bana Surakhya Samiti (BSS) mandap and the Tricolour is hoisted at 6 am by local Anganwadi worker Geetanjali Behera.
BSS members beat drums ahead of time to beckon villagers to assemble. People across all ages, castes, creeds and sexes come together and line up for the daily rituals.
Other people stand still wherever they are during the recital of the National Anthem as the recitation is aired on loudspeakers. This tradition not only arouses a sense of patriotism, compassion and honesty in them, but also energises them to work harder, Kirtanpali villagers said.
Worthy to mention here that Kirtanpali villagers had started this tradition January 26, 2018. Villagers wish to leave a good legacy for the younger generation.
With an expense of Rs 30,000 pooled from individual contributions, they have purchased loudspeakers, erected a half-size statue of Mahatma Gandhi and a podium of ‘three monkeys’.
Kirtanpali villagers said, “We hope that the statue of Gandhiji will help reduce violence in the area and three monkeys will guide us to stay away from doing harm to our fellowmen”.
Notably, this farmer-populated village in Deogarh district of western Odisha has the rare honour of being an ‘open defecation-free’, clean and green village declared by the government of India.
Inclination for cleanliness and sanitation was developed in the minds of the villagers after they were felicitated under the Swachh Bharat Mission. This incident also instilled a sense of patriotism in them.
The Swachh Bharat Mission was based on Gandhiji’s ideas of cleanliness and sanitation. He had realised early in his life that, the prevalent poor state of sanitation and cleanliness in rural India needed attention.
