Centre okays design of gold coin, postal ticket for Odisha’s Nabakalebara

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, May 23:

The Centre has approved the conceptual design of a memorial postal ticket and gold coin for the world famous Nabakalebara festival in Odisha’s Puri.

A committee, formed by the Centre, has submitted the final design.

Prior to the finalisation of the conceptual design, the committee had studied various aspects of the Jagannath culture.

As decided by the committee, there would be no photo of the idol of Lord Jagannath in the postal ticket. Since Nabakalebara rituals give precedence to Banajaga and tree worship, the postal ticket will have the picture of Banajaga under a tree with the Sankha, Chakra, Gada and Padma of the Lord.

Considering the possibility that the devotees are most likely to worship the gold coin, the committee has also decided to put the photo of Lord Jagannath on the one side and the photo of Shri Jagannath Temple on the other side of the gold coin.

Besides, the committee has also recommended special design of a coin of Rs 10 which will have the Ashok Stambha on the one side and the photo of Lord Jagannath on the other side.

The new design of the gold coin, postal ticket and the Rs 10 coin would be unveiled during Nabakalebara Rath Yatra in June this year.

It may be mentioned that the Centre had formed a seven-member commitee led by eminent litterateur JP Das with renowned novelist Dr Prativa Ray, Chintak Haraprasad Das, educationist Prof Harekrushna Satpathy, eminent artist Dinanath Pathy, Resident Commissioner of Odisha in New Delhi Arun Bhargav and deputy secretary, Union Culture department as other members for preparation of a conceptual design of the postal ticket, gold coin and Rs 10 coin.

The committee, at a meeting, had entrusted Dinanath Pathy to prepare the design the sample of which were prepared at the Third Eye Communication Studio.