odias living abroad

Odia diaspora worldwide is protesting ISKCON's untimely Rath Yatra celebrations abroad, citing scriptural and traditional deviations from Puri's annual festival. While ISKCON agreed to hold the yatra in India during July, they are proceeding with overseas events on different dates. Concerns are mounting, with diaspora groups planning further actions and seeking official intervention.

Odia expatriates in West Asia are living in fear following the US-Iran conflict, with daily life disrupted by sirens and safety alerts. Businesses operate restrictively, exams are cancelled, and the airspace closure has left many traumatized. Concerns are mounting over the potential economic fallout and the long-term impact on livelihoods and future generations, with some seeking urgent repatriation.

Odisha's tourism department organized 'Pakhala Parba' to promote the state's summer delicacy. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi highlighted pakhala's cultural significance, its probiotic benefits, and its role in connecting the Odia diaspora globally. A 1,177-kg pakhala was prepared for a Guinness World Records attempt and distributed to the underprivileged.

Odisha has achieved a Guinness World Record for preparing 1,174 kg of pakhala, a traditional dish, at a state-level event. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi highlighted the dish's cultural significance and probiotic benefits, aiming to promote Odia cuisine globally and connect the diaspora. The pakhala was distributed to over 2,000 underprivileged individuals.

In what is a first for Naveen Patnaik, the Odisha chief minister on Sunday convened a cabinet meeting virtually from Japan and also approved seven important projects, including the establishment of a directorate of Odisha Paribar, a dedicated administrative office to address issues concerning Odias living in other states and abroad.

At around 5 pm in Japan, Naveen was connected to his cabinet colleagues in Bhubaneswar (around 3.30 hours behind) through the Odisha State Wide Area Network (OSWAN) that provides data connectivity, voice and video services to various government offices throughout the state. Naveen officiated the cabinet meeting, processed files and signed documents via OSWAN from Kyoto, about 6,000 km from Odisha.

As the sibling deities were taken inside Jagannath Temple in Puri on Niladri Bije, similar celebrations were observed by Odias living in Canberra on the same day, a digression from weekend celebrations that odias living abroad follow to ensure participation. “We celebrated Rath Yatra on June 24, Bahuda Yatra and Niladri Bije were celebrated on June 28 and July 1 even though we knew the crowd would be less,” Tarun Agasti, the secretary of Hindu Temple, Canberra, said.