Google doodle plea for fest

BHUBANESHWAR: The state government has made it mandatory for all departments to promote Nabakalebara logo and banner on their official portals. The government has also urged Google to create a Google Doodle of Nabakalebara on July 18 Rath Yatra. A Google Doodle is a special and temporary alteration of the logo on Google's homepage that is intended to celebrate holidays, events, achievements and people.
On May 18, information technology (IT) secretary Pradeep Jena wrote to all revenue divisional commissioners, district collectors and SPs to display Nabakalebara streamer on district official websites and portals of subordinate offices.
“The streamer will also flash the dedicated website on Nabakalebara (www.nabakalebara.go.in), launched by chief minister Naveen Patnaik recently. The objective is to make Nabakalebara a ‘world event’ and Odisha as a preferred destination for tourists,” the letter said.
On May 22, Jena wrote to Google India managing director Rajan Anandan and requested him to create a Nabakalebara design for display as Google Doodle. “We have requested him to give us appointment next week so that I and the IT minister can meet him to discuss how to popularize Nabakalebara on Google,” Jena told TOI. “We will request Google to create a map of Puri to guide devotees in identifying their hotels, temporary shelters and important landmarks,” Jena said.
Tourism and culture secretary Arvind Padhee has appealed to celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Lata Mangeshkar, Sachin Tendulkar, Anupam Kher and Kapil Sharma (comedy nights with Kapil fame) to promote Nabakelebara through Twitter. “Grandest of all festivals of Lord Jagannath at Puri is coming up this July. Please help spread the word,” Padhee tweeted.
While sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik recently created a sand animation for promotion of Nabakalebara, the tourism department plans to brand the exterior of a few important trains to popularize the grand festival.
On May 3, oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched a documentary movie Debata Hoeele Maraee (divine death) on Nabakalebara. The movie has been directed by Gurujee Swetachandan and made in both Odia and English.
India Post will release a special stamp and first-day cover, featuring images of reigning deities of Jagannath Temple. Besides, the state government plans to release coins on the mega festival.