Bhubaneswar: Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy Sunday hoisted a flag and took salute in a special parade marking the celebration of the 77th foundation day of Bhubaneswar as a Capital city.
The celebrations began with floral tributes at the foundation stone plaque near the Odisha Legislative Assembly, followed by flag-hoisting by the Speaker and a parade featuring police personnel and college student contingents and bands that marched from Rabindra Mandap to Jayadev Bhawan.
Twenty-one contingents took part in the Capital Day Foundation parade this year. “We have deliberately kept school students away from the parade and the function, keeping in view the scorching heat,” said Pradumnya Mohanty, vice president of the Capital Foundation Day Celebration Committee.
“Bhubaneswar as the new capital of Odisha was set up April 13, 1948, with a population of only 16,000 people. The then Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru had laid the foundation stone for the capital city. Today, Bhubaneswar is home of over 13 lakh people,” Padhy said wishing all prosperity for the city.
Earlier, Cuttack was the Capital of Odisha.
Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das said the city has undergone a massive transformation from witnessing running of bullock cart to flights. Bhubaneswar is now a smart city and emerged as the sports capital of India by hosting at least two hockey World Cup events. “Bhubaneswar’s cultural heritage and its tradition still continue as it has been in 1949,” Das said calling the citizens to keep the city green and clean.
Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and many other dignitaries greeted the people on the day and wished all-round development of the city.
This year’s festivities is spread across two days due to the summer heat, the organisers said, adding that it will be integrated with Odia New Year celebrations Monday.
A photo exhibition showcasing Bhubaneswar’s heritage and traffic management measures is being organised at Jayadev Bhawan,w hile the government buildings have been decorated. Statues of eminent personalities across the city have been cleaned and adorned with garlands.
Though Bhubaneswar, earlier known as Ekamra Khetra and Ekamra Kanan in ‘puranas’ and Toshali, Kalinga Nagari, ‘Mandir Nagari’ in history books, has the 3,000-year-old history, beginning from Mahamegha-Bahana Chedi dynasty with Sisupalgarh as its capital, it became Odisha’s state capital April 13, 1948. Earlier, Cuttack was the Capital of Odisha.
The master plan of Bhubaneswar was designed by German architect Otto Königsberger in 1948 for a population of 40,000 and it is among the first four planned cities of India.
