Aparajita Treks To Taratarini Temple As Carcade Not Allowed

Berhampur: After Puri, BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi made another stir over visiting the Taratarini shrine in Ganjam district on Friday.

Aparajita along with her supporters paid a visit to the famous shrine of Ganjam situated at Purushottampur on the banks of Rushikulya river in about 30-km from Berhampur, trekked 3-km on foot to have darshan of the Goddess after the district administration did not allow her carcade to travel further from the foot of the hills.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the revamped Taratarini temple and dedicated the newly-built facilities at the temple to the people as chief patron of 5-day sanctification rituals of the new structure of the shrine on the final day on May 18. The temple has been revamped at a cost of Rs 115 crore.

"If this is how Maa Taratarini wants me to visit the shrine, then so be it. I wanted to visit the temple to seek the blessings of Maa Taratarini. I do not want to make any allegations against anybody. This seems to be the wish of Maa," said Aparajita after reaching the temple.

Meanwhile Ganjam Collector Vijay Amrit Kulange clarified on the official Twitter handle that he requested the Bhubaneswar MP to go with two vehicles. But she denied it and started walking towards the temple. The allegations about permission denied for her were false, Kulange said.

On April 27 last Aparajita along with her supporters walked to the Jagannath Temple in Puri to pay obeisance to Lord Jagannath and His siblings after police had stopped her motorcade at Kathapola and requested her to either go alone or with a few supporters for 'darshan'.