Shri Shri Baladevjew Temple, Keonjhar (Odia: କେନ୍ଦୁଝର ବଳଦେବଜୀଉ ମନ୍ଦିର) was established in the year 1671. This temple was built by Raja Laxminarayan Bhanja. The height of the temple is 135 feet.

The main idol of this temple is Lord Balaram, the 8th Avtar of Lord Vishnu. He was the elder brother of Lord Krishna in Dwapar Yug.

The Cart-Festival (ରଥଯାତ୍ର) of Keonjhar Baladevjew Temple is now the main attraction because of the height of the Cart. Previously the height of the cart was 60 feet but now it's 72 feet, which is the tallest cart in the world.


The height of Nadighosha, the cart of Lord Jagannath in Puri is 45.6 feet and the height of the chariot of Baladevjew Temple, Tulasi Kshetra, Kendrapada is 64 feet. According to the Global Records and Research Foundation (GRRF), now it has the tallest cart.

* All these photos are captured by Limon.
* We have published here with his permission.
* If you wish to share these photos, then take his permission.

Jasmine Flower (Odia: ମଲ୍ଲୀ ଫୁଲ) is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family (Oleaceae). It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of Eurasia and Oceania. Jasmines are widely cultivated for the characteristic fragrance of their flowers. A number of unrelated plants contain the word "Jasmine" in their common names.

Summer is the time for the blossom of Jasmin. The smell of this flower always attracts people in the evening. The night is the best time for spreading the good smells. This flower blossoms in the evening and with its good smell the night becomes more attractive.

In the morning, people use to collect the flowers from the trees and these are used in different works like offering to lord, making some Gajra or necklace.

In Odisha, Dola Jatra is another big festival like Raja Parba, Ratha Jatra, Durga Puja, etc. This festival is celebrated according to the previously decided dates as per our Odia Calander.

Holi is the popular ancient Indian festival, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is celebrated predominantly in India but has also spread to other areas of Asia and parts of the Western world through the diaspora from the Indian subcontinent.

Dola Yatra is celebrated in other states but in different names. In West Bengal, Tripura, and Asam people celebrate is as Basant Utsav.

Holi is mainly famous for Radha and Krishna from our ancient history book Mahabharata. Tough in Mahabharata, there is no mention of Radha with Krisha, but some other reference books which created based on the story of Mahabharata shown the presence of Radha and this festival.

This time, we have captured a few snaps of Dola Melana from Bidyabihar ground, Maitapur, Balasore, where they were celebrating the 7th Radha-Kanhu Melana from 7th March 2020 to 9th March 2020.

Radha-Kanhu Melana started by the initiative of Bishnumohan Mohanty, the Chairman of the Royal Group of Schools and Colleges. They are inviting different Opera parties to this three days festival with more than 50 Radha-Krishna Carts from nearby villages.

Prachi Valley is an ancient site of Kalinga Civilization. This Vally was quite similar to the Mahanadi River Vally. It was a beautiful combination of human civilization involving all religions and sects and was a center of art, culture, and learning. This Valley was spread across 600 square kilometers. 

The Prachi is a small river of over 60 kilometers in length. Presently the parts of the modern-day districts of Puri, Khurda, Cuttack, and Jagatsingpur comprise the Prachi valley region.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has discovered pottery pieces, and tools made of stones and bones believed to be of the pre-Christian era from a mound in Jalalpur village of Cuttack district, Odisha.

Discoveries of ancient artifacts indicated that a rural settlement might have thrived in that period. These settlements could have had cultural and trade ties with other settlements in the Prachi Valley that had come up around the Prachi river, which gradually disappeared.

Prachi Valley civilization is believed to be earlier than that of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro flourished on the banks of Prachi river. Prachi Valley civilization has contributed a lot towards amalgamation, assimilation, and proliferation of different religious faiths and cults.

Here we have collected some photos of Prachi Vally. Hopefully, these would justify a few things which we have written above.

The idol of Lord Bishnu, sometimes identified with Lord Rishavnath of Jains, from his navel water flows always.

Early morning view Prachi Saraswati at Historic Deuli Math

A Boat going towards the island of Lord Bileswar Mahadev 

 The confluence of Prachi Saraswati

A different type of crab not seen often

 Sea Crabs breathing morning air

Sunrises over the Bay of Bengal

* All these photos are taken by Bikas Ojha and published with his permission.

* Follow him on Twitter @bikashojha

* All the information mentioned above is taken from Wikipedia.

The River Krishna is the fourth-biggest river in terms of water inflows and river basin area in India. After the Ganga, Godavari, and Brahmaputra, it's the 4th one. The river is almost 1,400 kilometers which is approximately 870 miles long.

This river is also called Krishnaveni. And this river is one of the major sources of irrigation for Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

The Krishna river originates in the Western Ghats near Mahabaleshwar at an elevation of about 1,300 meters, in the state of Maharashtra in Western India.

The river Krishan empties into the Bay of Bengal at Hamasaladeevi in Andhra Pradesh. This river flows from the west to the east.

Near Guntur, the Prakasam Barrage connects Krishna with the Guntur district. The barrage serves also as a road bridge and spans over a lake.

The idea of constructing the dam across the river Krishna dates back to 1798. The dam was started in 1852 and completed in 1855.

Later, the State Government constructed a bridge that was named after Tanguturi Prakasam, the first Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. The work of today's barrage completed in 1957.

Here we have some beautiful photos of River Krishna and the Prakasam Bridge-Barrage clicked by one of our friend Limon.

* All these photos are taken by Liman and published here with his permission.

* Follow Liman on Twitter at @ChandrakarLiman

* All these sources of information are taken from Wikipedia.

Indrabati Dam (In Odia: ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରାବତୀ ଡ୍ୟାମ୍/ବନ୍ଧ) is a gravity dam on the Indravati River a tributary of Godavari. It's about 90 kilometers from Bhawanipatna, Kalahandi in the state of Odisha in India.

It is connected to the main Indravati reservoir via 4.32 km long and 7 m dia headrace tunnel designed for a discharge capacity of 210 cumecs and terminating in a surge shaft. The height of the Dam is 45 meters which is 148 ft and the length is 539 meters and 1,768 in ft.

Prior to 1947 Late HH Maharaja PK Deo had already envisioned the project and played a pivotal role afterward. The main purpose of the dam was Hydroelectricity and irrigation. The project was operating and maintaining by the Government of Odisha and Water Resources Department. The dam was completed in the year of 1996.

* All these photographs are taken by Liman and shared with his pemission.
* Follow his on Twitter: @ChandrakarLiman
* And all the information are taken from Wikipedia.

Joranda Mela (Odia: ଯୋରନ୍ଦା ମେଳା) is a three days fair celebrated at Joranda Mahima Gadi by the monks of Mahima Dharma. The mela started from the Magha Purnima which is also known as Aghira Purnima in Odisha.

Magha is the 10th month of the year according to Odia calendar which starts from Makara Sankranti in the mid of January. So, this festival is celebrated in January or February according to the Georgian Calendar.

Joranda Gadhi is a temple in the Dhenkanal district in Odisha. It's built on a location where three villages Joranda, Natima, and Patna met. The temple is dedicated to the supreme lord. The followers of Mahima dharma worship him as Sunya Brahma or the shapeless lord.

This festival is the biggest festival of Mahima Dharma, where lots of people use to come to this place from different parts of India. This festival is also known as the Mahima Mela.

Mahima Swami or Mahima Gosein (Odia: ମହିମା ଗୋସେଇଁ) is the founder of this Mahima religion. After his death in 1283, this festival is being celebrated at Mahima Gadi, the cremation place of Mahima Gosain.

The Mahima Sanyasis use to arrange a big Yagnya or Havan for World Peace (ବିଶ୍ୱ ଶାନ୍ତି) and offers ghee to the Haven Kund by reciting "Mahima Alekha".

* All these photographs are taken by Tarani Trotter and placed here with his permission.