Odisha: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan participates in Thala Utha ritual at Balunkeswar temple on Akshaya Tritiya

Sambalpur (Odisha) [India], May 10 (ANI): Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan participated in the holy 'Thala Utha' ritual on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya at the Balunkeswar temple in Odisha's Sambalpur district on Friday.
The BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Sambalpur took part in the ritual here today, marking the beginning of preparation for the upcoming 'Sital Sasthi' Jatra at the Balunkeswar temple in Nandapada in Sambalpur.

The Thala Utha ritual is performed in Shiva temples in Sambalpur, Odisha, to mark the beginning of preparations for the Sital Sasthi Jatra festival.
The Sital Sasthi Jatra is a popular festival in western Odisha that celebrates the divine marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, also known as Sital Sasthi. The festival is depicted in the Shiva Purana.

A 'puja' is performed in the temples by priests in the presence of senior members of the respective localities during the 'Thala Utha' ceremony.

Earlier on Thursday, Dharmendra Pradhan expressed confidence that BJP will win all the 21 Lok Sabha seats of the state in the upcoming polls.
He further added that people will vote BJD out of power in this election.
The state of Odisha will hold Assembly elections and Lok Sabha elections in four phases from May 13 to June 1, with vote counting scheduled for June 4.
In the 2019 Assembly election, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) won 112 out of 146 seats, while Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) won 23 seats and Congress won 9.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) won the majority of seats in the state, while the BJP and the Congress brought up the rear. The BJD won 12 seats, the BJP finished a close second at 8, and the Congress bagged just a lone seat. (ANI)