Dola Melana Festival Celebrated at Lavkush Ashram Premises
Kakatpur, 19/03/2025 – (Tushar Dixit):
The 7th annual Dola Melana festival was held on Monday at the Lavkush Ashram premises in Sadeinga Patapura village under Kundhei Gram Panchayat of Kakatpur Block. More than 21 Radha-Krishna Vimanas (palanquins) from three blocks—Kakatpur, Astaranga, and Gop—were assembled at the Melana ground.
The event began with the arrival and placement of the Bagisahi Vimana, followed by others taking their respective designated spots. Under the leadership of committee president Guru Charan Biswal, the program was coordinated by secretary Swadhin Kumar Swain and supported by committee members Prakash Chandra Swain, Dadhivaman Biswal, Kahnu Charan Mahanti, Prashanta Kumar Nayak, temple committee president Ranjana Swain, secretary Urmila Swain, and members Sanyukta Mahanti, Mamata Patra, Rashmita Mahanti, Shailabala Swain, Tapaswini Lenka, and Bandana Swain.
A special cultural assembly was organized with all Vimana custodians in attendance, focusing on Utkaliya tradition, heritage, and the importance of unity and brotherhood, symbolized through the playful celebration of Phagu (Holi). Each Radha-Krishna idol in the Vimanas was adorned with new garments, and the palanquins were decorated with incense and lamps as a form of ritual worship.
The incoming Vimanas displayed splendid traditional decorations, dazzling lights, classical instruments, bells, and fireworks as part of their grand procession to the Melana field. During the festival, a three-day recitation of the Shri Ram Charit Manas was also conducted, alongside uninterrupted Nama Sankirtana and devotional music.
In celebration of Dola Melana, every household in the village installed sacred pots (kalasha) and created traditional jhoti (folk art) patterns in front of their homes and along the roads. Many villagers, including children, participated in the festivities by dressing up as characters from the Ramayana such as Ram, Lakshman, Sita, Hanuman, Jambavan, Luv, Kush, and Ravana.
A huge crowd gathered at 10 PM to witness the Dola Bhaunri performance, a key highlight of the night. The entire event was conducted peacefully under the supervision of educationist Aditya Kumar Mahanti. Kakatpur Tahsildar Ankita Anindita and Kakatpur Police Station IIC Umesh Kumar Sahoo were present as key observers, according to the organizing committee.
