Sambalpur: Visitors from all walks of life thronged the Gandhi Temple at Bhatra in Sambalpur district on the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of ‘Father of the Nation’ Mahatma Gandhi Wednesday. People offered floral tributes to the bronze idol of the Mahatma while several organizations garlanded it.
Construction of the Gandhi temple at Bhatra started in 1971 and was inaugurated by the then MLA Abhimanyu Kumar. It should be mentioned that a large number of followers throng the temple every day in the morning and evening and sing devotional songs. A priest is also present to chant parts of ‘Gita’ and ‘Ram Dhun’
Abhimanyu Kumar said that Mahatma Gandhi had visited Sambalpur in 1932 and addressed a gathering. “I was present at the rally. His speech was inspirational and it prompted me to build a temple in memory of Mahatma Gandhi,” Abhimanyu had said when construction had started.
The president of the temple committee Pramod Ranjan Kumar said that Abhimanyu was a devout Gandhian. “He considered Mahatma Gandhi as the ‘God of Dalits’. So he decided to build a temple as a mark of respect for Gandhiji,” stated Pramod.
PNN
