Kolimati: The charm of rural life is a thing of the past and rural culture, which is vanishing fast, needs to be preserved, said Arjun Charan Behera, an educationist well known in Kolimati area of Keonjhar.
Behera has been making efforts for reviving Bhagwat Tungis in villages, creating green belts and literary works so as to give a new lease of life to the moribund rural culture. Behera strongly believes that his efforts would one day pay off.
He is inclined towards preserving environment and written a book ‘Brikshyara Bilap’ to raise awareness among people for the need of the plantation and ecological protection.
He has been an inspiration for the youth. After retiring from government service five years ago, he has been doing his work in his native village Hatibandha in Bailo panchayat under Anandapur block.
He has been active in social life and striving hard to maintain unity among villagers and make people spiritually and culturally conscious.
Significantly, he has built a Bhagwat Tungi with his own efforts. Every evening, Bhagwat is recited amid presence of villagers. Apparently, the tungi has played a catalyst of change in village life. Along with village youths, he has been carrying out plantation drive at various places and awareness campaign among people. Behera has planted varieties of herbal and medicinal plants in his own garden.
Born to Ramchandra Behera and Nandi Devi, Behera did his Masters in History under Utakal University and stated his teaching career at Panchupallu High School in 1978. He has also worked as district education officer for two years. He retired in 2013.
“I have never forgotten the simple rural life I used to enjoy in my childhood. It has been etched in my memory. The new generation needs to do something valuable to protect the rural cultural ethos,” he observed.
He has written a book on his village ‘Amari Gan Hatibandh’ with an aim of reminding the youths of the past glory of rural life.
His book ‘Ranga Beranga’ espouses the need for discipline among the young generation and obligation towards their parents.
“He has been an inspiration for the village youth,” said Rajesh Kumar Jena and others of his village.
PNN
