On Akshay Tritiya, Puri temple priests perform puja on the logs to be used to make the chariots of the deities for Rath Yatra
BHUBANESWAR: Akshaya Tritiya remained a low-key affair in the state on Saturday owing to the lockdown to control the alarming rise in Covid-19 cases. In Odisha, the day is also celebrated as Krushak Divas, marking the commencement of kharif agricultural activities before the onset of monsoon.
Governor Ganeshi Lal, chief minister Naveen Patnaik, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan greeted people on the occasion and wished for a good harvest and the prosperity of farmers.
Akshaya Tritiya is considered as a major festival in the state as around 70% of the its population depends on agriculture. It contributes around 20% to the state’s economy. State agriculture minister Arun Kumar Sahoo and leaders from both the ruling and opposition parties took part in the agrarian festival and performed the Akhi Muthi Anukula, the ceremonial act of sowing seeds in a paddy