Dhenkanal: People from various sections of society celebrated Raja festival with special children and inmates of old age home at Dayananda Service Mission in Govindpur. Such a celebration has been going on for the past 20 years.

Administrators, social workers, journalists, senior citizens and people’s representatives cut cakes, distributed sweets and sang songs during the Raja festival at the centre. The organisation prepared two pieces of baked rice cake each weighing one quintal. Dhenkanal Municipality chairperson Jayanti Patra launched the festival by cutting the mega cake and distributed its pieces.

Addressing the gathering, Patra said, “we should celebrate the festival with the special children and senior citizens of old age home who have no family.”

Additional District Magistrate Ramesh Chandra Sethi and organisation Director Pradeep Sahoo said Raja was celebrated as people’s festival.