Bhubaneswar: As western Odisha soaked in festive fervour while celebrating Sambalpuri Day on Tuesday, Dharmendra Pradhan posted a picture of his along with with BJP national president JP Nadda, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, donning Sambalpuri weaves, on his official Twitter handle.
“A remarkable sight to see Adhyaksh Shri @JPNaddaji, FM@nsitharamanji and EAM@DrSJaishankarji wearing the beautiful Sambalpuri Ikat. I am grateful to them for this endearing gesture to honour the #SambalpuriDay celebrations and marking their respect for Odisha’s culture,” he tweeted.
Dharmendra had earlier greeted the people of western districts of the state on the occasion of ‘Sambalpuri Din’ or Sambalpuri Day, which marks the birth anniversary of Satyanarayan Bohidar, who contributed immensely to the Sambalpuri culture.
To mark the occasion, Maa Samaleswari, the presiding deity of Odisha’s Sambalpur district, was also adorned in the traditional handloom attire of the region. Other deities in the temple complex along with the Singha Vahana too were clad in Sambalpuri weaves.
Bohidar was born on August 1, 1913 at Sonepur, then undivided Sambalpur. He spent his formative years in Sambalpur and churned out a good number of literary translations and biographies. Known as the pioneer of Sambalpuri language and grammar, he is remembered for his magnum opus ‘Sambalpuri Bhasakosh’. His other works include ‘Tik Chahnra’, ‘Ghavghavo’, ‘Ghuvkudu’ and several poems. August 1 is officially observed as ‘Samablpuri Din’ to commemorate his immense contribution to literature and culture of the area while celebrating its beautiful weaves.
