Seven-storey Building for Habisyalis at Puri by Next year

KalingaTV News Network

Puri: TheOdishae government will construct a seven-storey building in the holy town of Puri to accommodate Habisyalis, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced on Friday while laying the foundation stone for the proposed multi-storied building here.

The building would accommodate at least 2,000 women, who perform “Habisa”, a month-long ritual of austerity performed mostly by widows in the holy month of Kartik.

The government estimated an investment of Rs 39 crore on the proposed building, which would be completed before next year’s Kartik month.

Last year, the state government had launched the “Habisyali Brata Yojana” to provide facilities like food, shelter, drinking water etc. for the women performing the ritual.

Every year, thousands of elderly women from across the state assemble in Puri and observe Kartika Brata by worshipping the Tulsi plant and visiting Lord Jagannath temple.