Sambalpur (Odisha) [India], April 15 (ANI): Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan held a padayatra and performed aarti in Sambalpur as week-long Hanuman Jayanti celebrations culminated in the Odisha on April 14.

Pradhan extended his best wishes to the people and urged them to live together with peace and brotherhood.

Speaking to the media, the Union Minister Pradhan said, 'In Odisha, people celebrate Hanuman Jayanti starting from Ram Navami on April 6 to April 14. I extend my best wishes to the people of the state and urge people to live together with peace and brotherhood.'

Pradhan also participated in the Meru Yatra celebrations in Sambalpur on April 14.

The leader also sought blessings at the Maa Dakhinakali temple in Khubel and the Maa Dandakali temple in Hirakud.

'I had the privilege of visiting the Maa Dandakkali temple in Hirakud and witnessing the Meru Yatra. Maa is the direct goddess. Her glory is immense. May all the wishes of our hearts be fulfilled by her auspicious blessings,' Pradhan said in a post on X.

The 'Meru Yatra' is a prominent cultural and religious event in Odisha, marking the traditional New Year. It is celebrated with various rituals and community gatherings. It reflects the rich heritage and spiritual fervor of the region.

Meanwhile, Union Minister also laid the foundation stone for an agricultural marketing yard and inaugurated a state-of-the-art floriculture polyhouse in Sambalpur with the aim of strengthening the rural economy and empowering farmers' collectives.

The polyhouse facility, developed in collaboration with the CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), is designed to promote high-value crop cultivation and sustainable farming practices in the region. The initiative is expected to boost the floriculture value chain and encourage climate-smart agriculture, providing significant benefits to local farmers. (ANI)