Sambalpur gears up for grand Hanuman Jayanti

SAMBALPUR: After a one-year hiatus, Sambalpur is gearing up to celebrate the Hanuman Jayanti procession on a grand scale. An integral part of the city’s religious and cultural identity for nearly four decades, the festival will be celebrated with renewed vigour this year despite the memories of the violence that disrupted the event in 2023.

Addressing mediapersons on Wednesday, Sambalpur MLA and president of Hanuman Jayanti Samanwaya Samiti Jayanarayan Mishra vowed to make this year’s procession a historic and unifying event while ensuring peace and security.

Recalling the violent incidents of 2023, Mishra alleged that the riots were sponsored by the then BJD government to defame the Hanuman Jayanti procession and instill fear among devotees. However, the people of Sambalpur remained resilient and determined to continue their tradition. “This year, our goal is to make the Hanuman Jayanti procession a grand celebration that will unite people across languages, cultures and castes going beyond politics. We want lakhs of devotees to participate in the event, making it a family affair,” he said.