Odisha's Senior Citizens Embark on Spiritual Journey: First Pilgrimage Train to Varanasi and Ayodhya

A Memorable Pilgrimage Begins

Bhubaneswar: On Wednesday, a group of 775 elderly individuals set off for Varanasi and Ayodhya aboard the inaugural pilgrimage train of the fiscal year, part of the Odisha government's 'Mukhyamantri Baristha Nagarik Teertha Yatra Yojana'.

The train was ceremoniously launched by Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who oversees the tourism sector, at the Bhubaneswar New Railway Station located in Patia.

This initiative aims to facilitate pilgrimage trips for a total of 8,000 senior citizens across 10 phases throughout 2026-27.

Key pilgrimage sites included in this program are Ayodhya, Varanasi, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Rameswaram, and Madurai.

While sending off the train, Parida wished the pilgrims a safe and spiritually enriching journey.

She expressed that the pilgrimage from the revered land of Lord Lingaraj to Kashi Vishwanath and Ayodhya would be an unforgettable experience for the elderly participants.

The first phase of this pilgrimage includes seniors from six districts: Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Puri, Kendrapara, and Dhenkanal.

Participation from each district includes 169 pilgrims from Khurda, 85 from Jagatsinghpur, 197 from Cuttack, 127 from Puri, 108 from Kendrapara, and 89 from Dhenkanal.

Among the 775 pilgrims, there are 333 women and 432 men.

To ensure the safety and comfort of the travelers, 25 escort officers have been assigned to accompany them throughout the journey.

Minister for Industries, Skill Development & Technical Education, Sampad Chandra Swain, along with Kendrapara MLA Ganeshwar Behera, also conveyed their best wishes for a safe and successful pilgrimage.

Railway tickets and travel kits were distributed to the pilgrims in a ceremonial event.