Berhampur: The famous annual Chaitra Jatra festival of Taratarini temple has started with much pomp and gaiety today at the Tara Tarini hill shrine amidst Covid-19 guidelines and precautionary measures. The district administration and the Tara Tarini Development Board have taken all possible measures to maintain law and order situation and Covid-19 precautions. More than a lakh people are expected to participate in the Jatra.
While last year’s Jatra was cancelled due to the pandemic, this year after the situation improved and a sharp decline in the number of infections, the district administration allowed the observance of the Jatra. People were seen queuing in front of the shrine from the morning itself or having darshan of Maa Taratarini. The temple management has made elaborate decorations of the temple with flowers and lighting.
The Jatra is being organized at a time when the first phase of the redevelopment plan for the hill shrine is going on. The Taratarini Shakti Pitha is undergoing a development with a cost of more than ten crore Rupees as announced by the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.