Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has unveiled plans to develop a Lakshmi Purana Corridor at the Samadhi Peetha of 15th-century poet Balaram Das to promote the state’s cultural heritage and the enduring message of social equality and women’s empowerment enshrined in the revered literary work.
The proposal was announced by Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Women & Child Development, Mission Shakti and Tourism, Pravati Parida, while inaugurating a national seminar titled “Shakti Bandanara Mahagatha – Balaram Das’s Lakshmi Purana” at the Mission Shakti Bhavan in Bhubaneswar on Thursday.
Addressing the gathering, Parida said the Lakshmi Purana is not merely a religious text but a symbol of social transformation that advocates justice, equality, dignity, hard work and self-respect. She said the Tourism Department has prepared a blueprint for the proposed corridor at Balaram Das’ Samadhi Peetha in Begunia village under Gop block, aimed at showcasing Odisha’s rich culture, heritage and spiritual traditions to a global audience.
A conceptual video of the proposed corridor was screened during the seminar.
Law, Works and Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan, who attended as the guest of honour, said the Lakshmi Purana is more than a hymn dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi and serves as a guide for respecting and honouring women. He lauded the Tourism Department’s initiative to take the literary masterpiece to a wider international audience.
The seminar brought together eminent scholars, researchers, writers and cultural personalities, who deliberated on the literary, cultural and social significance of the Lakshmi Purana, with a special focus on its messages of women’s empowerment and social equality.
Among those who participated in the discussions were Dr. Bidyutlata Mohanty of the Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi; writer and columnist Asit Mohanty; retired professor Gouranga Charan Das; vocalists Geeta Das and Namita Agrawal; Aditya Chandra Das of Ananta Abadhuta Math; Sucheta Priyabadini and Aliva Mohanty of Rama Devi Women’s University; and Jayanti Dora of Utkal University.
Senior officials, including Principal Secretary of the Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department Bijay Ketan Upadhyay, Mission Shakti Director Dr. Monika Priyadarshini and Tourism Director Deepankar Mahapatra, also attended the event. The participating delegates were felicitated by the Deputy Chief Minister at the conclusion of the seminar.
