Gurujang to be Developed as Heritage Village in Honour of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati

Gurujang to be Developed as Heritage Village in Honour of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati Bhubaneswar, August 21: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday announced that Gurujang village in Angul district, the birthplace of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, would be developed as a Heritage Village, while the Gurujang Gram Panchayat would be developed as a Model Panchayat. The announcement was made at a function organised at Gurujang near Talcher to mark the birth centenary of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati. Describing Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati as a great ideal and a guiding light of Sanatan Dharma, Majhi highlighted his contribution to the welfare and empowerment of tribal communities in Kandhamal. He said Swamiji had dedicated his life to serving underprivileged communities while living in remote forest areas. The Chief Minister said Swamiji established the Chakapad and Jalespata Ashrams and a girls’ Gurukul, where tribal girls received Sanskrit education along with cultural and moral teachings. As part of the government’s initiatives to honour his legacy, Majhi announced that ₹13 crore had been sanctioned from the Chief Minister’s Special Assistance (CMSA) fund for the development and preservation of heritage sites associated with Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati. Of the sanctioned amount, ₹5 crore will be utilised for constructing a 300-seat hostel for girl students, while ₹3 crore will be spent on preservation of the heritage site. A mega river-lift project will also be implemented to provide drinking water to the area, the Chief Minister said. Majhi further announced that Phulbani Government Medical College has been renamed Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati Medical College. Recalling the killing of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati in 2008, the Chief Minister said the government was committed to ensuring justice and bringing the truth behind the incident to light. He also referred to the investigations conducted by the Justice Mahapatra and Justice Naidu commissions. Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy recalled Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati’s spiritual and social contributions and urged the younger generation to draw inspiration from his life and work. Former Union Education Minister and Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan welcomed the declaration of Gurujang as a Heritage Village and the Gurujang Panchayat as a Model Panchayat. He described the move as a fitting tribute to Swamiji’s contribution to education, social awakening and the empowerment of tribal communities. The development of Gurujang as a Heritage Village is expected to strengthen the cultural and spiritual significance of the area while preserving the legacy associated with Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati for future generations.