JOGA Holi Celebration on March 10, 2007 Contents General Overview

<strong>JOGA</strong> volunteers Naresh Das, Prasanna Nayak, Sangeeta Dey, Lalit Behera and Brahmapriya Sen had
gathered at Murugan temple auditorium on March 9 th , Friday night to start the decoration for the <strong>Holi</strong>
program next day.
On March 10 th , the sun was shining bright. <strong>JOGA</strong> volunteers in charge of decoration had again
gathered from 2:30 AM to decorate the auditorium. The stage was decorated with Pipili wall hangings,
Orissi sarees, Odissi staues, decorative Kalashas and decorative plants. Volunteers in charge of stage
management, sound systems, registration had gathered before 3:45 PM. At 4:10 PM, <strong>Holi</strong> Melana
(procession of deities) started. Decorated palanquins, small and big were carried by children and
adults. The procession continued from the main entrance side of the temple and continued around the
temple finally reaching the auditorium entrance.
Oriyas from 6 states, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Michigan and Maryland participated in the
event.
This function would not have been possible without the dynamic, high spirited volunteers who
personally invited families, who worked hard to perform and present a cultural item, who coordinated
and cooked prasad and bhoga, and whose presence and smile added special charm to our function and
to our memory.
Special thanks go to Mrs Urmila Sahu. In spite of her health problems due to allergic reaction, she had
kept her commitment of preparing bhoga for the function.
As in the previous years, the temple people were very cooperative.