Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Commissionerate Police has issued detailed guidelines for Ganesh Puja 2026, urging organisers and devotees to ensure a safe and peaceful celebration. As per the guidelines, DJ music and crackers have been prohibited, while melody and cultural programmes will be permitted only until 10:00 pm. Idol immersion will be conducted on September 16,…
Bhubaneswar: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has strengthened efforts to protect the shrine’s spiritual and cultural identity by securing intellectual property protection for three more names — ‘Shree Mandira’, ‘Ratna Bhandar’ and ‘Shree Nahar’. The applications have been accepted for publication by the Trade Marks Registry, marking the third phase of the temple’s trademark…
Bhubaneswar: On the occasion of World Coconut Day, the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) has developed ‘Konark’, the state’s first indigenous hybrid coconut variety after nearly 18 years of research. The hybrid has been developed by crossing the Sakhigopal and Gangabondam varieties. According to OUAT, ‘Konark’ is expected to produce more than 150…
Bhubaneswar: Four-year-old Elena Mishra has created a remarkable milestone in chess by becoming the youngest female player to hold an official FIDE rating at the age of 4 years, 6 months and 16 days. Elena achieved the feat with a Blitz rating of 1432 at the Odisha State Blitz FIDE Rating Open Chess Championship 2026,…
Bhubaneswar: Devotees visiting the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri can now experience a more comfortable environment during darshan, with the historic Nata Mandap equipped with an air-conditioning facility. The system, installed by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), became fully operational on Monday. The facility is expected to provide relief to devotees, particularly during periods…
Bhubaneswar: On the occasion of Local Self-Governance Day, the Odisha government inaugurated more than 590 infrastructure projects worth around ₹323 crore across 62 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the state. Odisha Housing and Urban Development Secretary Usha Padhee said the projects include both small and major infrastructure works aimed at improving the quality of urban…
Bhubaneswar: Devotees and relatives of those affected by the devastating flash floods offered prayers at the Mahakaal Shani Bhagwan Temple on the occasion of Sawan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan. The prayers were held amid grief following a devastating natural disaster in central Nepal. An ice-rock avalanche triggered by a glacial collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border…
Bhubaneswar: The historic Kataka Bali Jatra festival is scheduled to be held from November 24 to December 1, with preparations underway for the annual cultural and trade fair. The Cuttack district administration has proposed organizing the festival across both the upper and lower grounds of the Bali Jatra field, subject to approval from the state…
Bhubaneswar: Kerala has officially been renamed “Keralam” following President Droupadi Murmu’s assent to the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on August 11 and the Rajya Sabha on August 12 before receiving presidential assent. The legislation amends the First Schedule of the Constitution to replace “Kerala” with…
Bhubaneswar: Amazon India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Directorate of Textiles, Odisha, to expand e-commerce opportunities for the state’s weavers and artisans. Under the partnership, more than 1.3 lakh weavers and artisans are expected to be onboarded onto Amazon Karigar, providing them with access to a wider national customer base and…