By Bizodisha Bureua, Bhubaneswar, April 13, 2016 : Odisha on Wednesday celebrated the Odia New Year by exchanging greetings and offering pujas in temples across the state while, the state capital observed its 68th Foundation Day.

The day also marked special pujas at Sri Jagannath Temple at Puri where the newly prepared almanac [Panji] was read before the Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wished the people of the state on Odia New Year.

“On Maha Vishuva Sankranti I extend my good wishes to all Odia people. I pray for an exceptional year ahead, filled with happiness and success,” Modi tweeted.

“Extend my greetings and best wishes on Maha Vishuva Sankranti and Odia New Year,” Patnaik tweeted. Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram also conveyed their greetings on the micro-blogging site.

In the temple city of Bhubaneswar, government offices, iconic buildings and key junctions of the city were decked up and special functions were organised to mark the 68th Foundation Day of establishment of the new capital here.

Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation stone of the city On April 13, 1948. German architect Otto Koenigsberger had designed the city’s masterplan in 1948 for a population of 40,000. It is among the first four planned cities of India.