Hundreds Gather to Honor Gandhi at Historic Odisha Temple on 155th Birth Anniversary

Hundreds of people gathered at the Gandhi temple in Bhatra, Odisha, to celebrate the 155th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The temple, one of the oldest dedicated to Gandhi, holds daily prayers and was constructed in 1974 by local residents inspired by Gandhi’s visit to Sambalpur. The event also featured tributes and a cleanliness drive.

Hundreds of people gathered at the Gandhi temple at Bhatra in Odisha's Sambalpur district on Wednesday to commemorate the 155th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation.

Established in 1974, the temple is one of the oldest dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi and features a bronze idol that is worshipped twice daily. Radhakanta Bag, the chief priest, emphasizes the routine recitation of the Gita and Ram Dhun.

The anniversary was marked by tributes from Collector Baliram Bondar and a community cleanliness drive. Social organizations also paid homage by garlanding the idol. Historian Deepak Kumar Panda noted that Gandhi had visited Sambalpur twice, in 1928 and 1934, to address public gatherings.