Bhadrak (4 February 2026): The 49th Saraswat Fagu Milan festival organized by Pujyapuja Sansad was celebrated with great enthusiasm, highlighting the spiritual and cultural significance of the Basanta Rasotsav.
Held at the Bhagabat Kalyan Mandap premises in Bhadrak, scholars and literary personalities described Basanta Rasotsav as a colorful and emotional celebration symbolizing the divine union of Radha and Krishna. The festival is closely associated with the Dol Yatra and reflects the playful “Rasa Leela” described in the Bhagavata Purana, where Krishna and the gopis celebrate with colors and joy.
Spiritual speaker Sangram Acharya attended the event as the chief speaker. He emphasized that if people wish to color their lives with spirituality, they must eliminate inner impurities and negative tendencies.
The chief guest, Yudhishthir Kuanr, Principal of Harekrushna Mahtab College, noted that poets portray the beauty of spring with deep emotion, drawing from their experiences and creative dedication.
The event was presided over by Dr. Golak Bihari Sahu. Professor Dattatreya Das hosted the program, while Baikuntha Biswal, joint secretary of the organization, invited the guests to the stage. The welcome address was delivered by Rupak Bihari Ray, secretary of the institution.
The ceremony began with Vedic chanting by Pandit Ghanshyam Lenka, followed by the traditional Saraswat Basanta festival programs.
A multilingual poets’ meet was also organized on the occasion, where numerous poets including Gangadhar Nayak, Dr. Abani Pradhan, Sabitri Banerjee, Kalandi Mallik, Narayan Lenka, Ramakant Jena, Abdul Dayan, Sarat Chandra Jena, Narayan Chandra Padhi, Umesh Chandra Mahapatra, Bijay Kumar Bahali, Ratikanta Behera, Shashank Shekhar Panda, Shraddhanjali Mishra, Manasmita Das, Shantilata Barik, Sabitri Sethi, Prabhat Nalini Mahapatra, Pujarani Ghosh, Basant Patra, Ramesh Chandra Das, Samyukta Yadav, Mustak Gahwar, Bijay Mishra and many others presented poems centered on the themes of spring and the Fagu festival.
The event was coordinated by Ruturaj Akshaya and Arupananda Nayak, while poet Jagannath Rout delivered the vote of thanks. The gathering concluded on a vibrant note as the poetic expressions of spring filled the atmosphere with joy and cultural warmth.
