Nabarangpur, 24th Oct 2025: In Nabarangpur district, more than one thousand people have started the Swami Ayyappa fasting ritual this year. Youths and people from different age groups have taken the Ayyappa vow, and for 41 days, they perform worship of Swami Ayyappa while observing the fast. Many from the poor sections of the district have also taken the Ayyappa fasting vow.
Ayyappa devotees usually visit Sabarimala in Kerala state, where after worship and darshan of Swami Ayyappa, the fast is concluded.
However, due to the absence of direct buses from Nabarangpur to distant Sabarimala, poor devotees face higher expenses traveling to and from the pilgrimage. Neighboring states Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka have started independent bus services to Sabarimala for devotees. Therefore, it is being requested that the Odisha state government also arrange separate bus services for Ayyappa devotees, which would greatly benefit many fasting devotees.
This appeal has been made by Baranasi Rajareddy, I. Yogeshwara Rao, and Srinuguruswami. In Nabarangpur town, fasting devotees have started worship and fasting rituals at the Swami Ayyappa temple near Ganesh Mandir in Rajusahi. Devotees have gathered and established community worship places in different homes to perform Ayyappa worship.
It is reported that about one thousand or more people are observing the Ayyappa fast in Nabarangpur, Umarkot, Papadahandi, Dabugaon, Kodinga, and Charamula.
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