‘Ama Ruchi – Ama Khadya’ Celebrated with Traditional Flavours during Odia Paksha in Nabarangpur

Nabarangpur: April 18: On the occasion of Odia Paksha, a special program titled “Ama Ruchi – Ama Khadya” was आयोजित by the district administration in the Collector’s office premises with great enthusiasm.
Organized on the 13th day of the Paksha, the event saw participation from 33 contestants across the district, who showcased a wide variety of traditional and healthy homemade dishes. Millet-based foods and indigenous delicacies like manda pitha, arisa pitha, kakara, poda pitha, suan khiri, kolatha dali, dried fish curry, mandia dishes, pakodi, chhatua items, dahi pakhala, and many more were the highlights of the exhibition.
MLA and District Planning Board Chairman Gouri Shankar Majhi attended the event and encouraged the participants. Several officials including Additional Collectors Tapan Khuntia and Biswajit Barman, District Culture Officer Ghasia Harijan, and DIPRO Manoj Behera were present to motivate the contestants.
Guests appreciated the rich food culture and traditions of Nabarangpur and praised the culinary skills of all participants. A street play presented by BJSS Nabarangpur also captivated the audience.
In the competition, Maa Manikeswari SHG from Tentulikhunti secured the first position, Rita Rani Biso from Nabarangpur Sukanya group stood second, and Bhagyabati Bahula from Semala (Papadahandi) secured third place.
The administration informed that on the final day of Odia New Year celebrations, district-level competitions such as Pitha-Pana, Hulhuli, and Jhoti will be organized.
The program was successfully conducted with the support of cultural assistants Atma Prakash Sahu and Santosh Kumar, and concluded with a vote of thanks by the District Culture Officer.