Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Friday offered prayers to Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra for a peaceful and prosperous Manipur, expressing hope that unity, harmony and order would prevail among all communities in the state.
Rath Yatra is one of the most celebrated annual Hindu festivals, during which giant wooden chariots carrying Lord Jagannath, his brother Lord Balabhadra and sister Goddess Subhadra are pulled through public streets in Odisha, West Bengal and several Northeastern states. The return journey of the deities, popularly known as “Ulto Rath” in many parts of India, marks the culmination of the festival. In Manipur, the return procession is celebrated as “Purna Jatra” or “Kanglen”, signifying the conclusion of the annual Kang Chingba (Rath Yatra) festival.
The Chief Minister participated in the religious observances at the historic Shri Govindaji Temple in Imphal on the auspicious occasion of Purna Jatra. Taking to his official X handle, Khemchand Singh said: “Today, on the auspicious occasion of Purna Jatra (Kanglen), I felt sanctified to participate in the religious services of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra at Shri Govindaji Temple in the presence of Maharaja and former Rajya Sabha MP Shri Leishemba Sanajaoba, amid a large number of devotees.”
He said Purna Jatra, locally known as Kanglen, marks the successful completion and formal conclusion of the annual 10 day Kang Chingba (Rath Yatra) festival. “It mirrors the grand chariot pulling ceremony of the first day, symbolising the return and final rites of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra. I offer my prayers for a peaceful and prosperous Manipur, where unity and order prevail among all communities. May everyone be blessed with peace and the spirit of non violence,” the Chief Minister said.
Meanwhile, in a major step towards strengthening the education sector and civic infrastructure, the Chief Minister earlier in the day inaugurated the newly constructed District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) building at Salam in Imphal West district. He also inaugurated the newly built Ima Market, an all women market, at the same location.
The DIET building has been constructed under the Samagra Shiksha (Teacher Education) scheme. At the same time, the Ima Market has been developed under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) project. Addressing the gathering, Khemchand Singh acknowledged the efforts of local MLA Sorokhaibam Rajen Singh in ensuring that the DIET Centre was established at Salam among all constituencies in Imphal West district.
The Chief Minister also appreciated the Planning Department for taking the initiative to construct the Ima Market at Salam while maintaining high construction standards. Expressing confidence that Salam would witness rapid development in the coming years, he said the two new facilities would significantly benefit the local population.
Following the inauguration, the Chief Minister inspected the infrastructure and other amenities provided in the newly constructed DIET building and the Ima Market. The DIET Centre at Salam has been constructed at an approved cost of Rs 4.47 crore. The project was sanctioned by the Union Ministry of Education, which released the funds to the Education Engineering Wing for its execution.
The Ministry of Education has approved the establishment of 16 DIET Centres in Manipur, with one centre proposed in each of the state’s 16 districts. At present, nine DIET Centres are functional, while the remaining centres are at various stages of construction and operationalisation.
The Ima Market at Salam has been constructed at Rs 3 crore. The Union Ministry of Finance approved the project as one of the 26 projects sanctioned for Manipur under the SASCI scheme for the financial year 2022 23.
(IANS)
