Jamshedpur: The 67th Trishul Utsav and the 122nd birth anniversary of Swami Paranavanada, the founder of Bharat Sevashram Sangha, is being celebrated at the Sonari ash-ram between January 5 and 7.

On Saturday, Tripura governor Tathagata Roy graced the occasion as the chief guest. He was also accompanied by guest of honour Amar Kumar Bauri, the state minister of revenue & land reforms, art, culture, sports & youth affairs. Roy was welcomed with nagadas and tribal dance.

"This country has everything. We have culture and knowledge but lack unity. This is why our people fall prey to a lot of bad things," said Roy.

Trishul Utsav, celebrated in the month of Poush (between mid-December to mid-January), is an annual celebration of the Sangha to remember the contribution of the founder. "The utsav is celebrated in honour of our founder who was born on full moon night in the month of Magha (mid-January to mid-February). But, it was in Poush that Swami Pranavananda started a ritual called Trishul puja. All branches of Sangha have been performing the ritual ever since. We also use this as an opportunity to discuss religious and tribal issues with important personalities," said Swami Biswatmananda, general secretary of the Sangha, Sonari. On Sunday, there will be yagnas and a seminar on Hindu religion which will be attended by former chief minister Arjun Munda and Saryu Roy, minister of food and civil supplies and parliamentary affairs.

The Sangha runs an English-medium school, BSS Pranav Children's World, and a girls cradle at Sundernagar on the outskirts of the city.

It also runs a computer training centre for children of primitive tribes on its Sonari premises.