Berhampur, Aug. 19: The biennial festival of Buddhi Thakurani, popularly known as ‘Thakurani yatra’, has been recognised as the sixth state festival by the tourism department.

Tourism and culture minister Ashok Panda made the announcement at Chhatrapur today.

With the recognition, Thakurani yatra would feature on the state’s tourism and culture map.

“At present, the government recognises five festivals — Dhanu yatra in Bargarh, Parab in Koraput, Mukteswar and Rajarani in Bhubaneswar and the Konark Dance Festival. This new addition will help the state get more funds from the Centre to celebrate the occasion,” Panda said.

Apart from the announcement, Panda also said that Tampara, a wetland near Chhatrapur, would get a facelift soon. The state government had decided to develop the mini-lake into a major eco-tourism centre under the World Bank’s Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project, he said.

An amenities centre was proposed at Khallikote ghat and the collector of Ganjam had been asked to provide 12-acres for the project. Steps were being taken to facilitate movement of tourist at Rushikulya mouth, the tourism and culture minister said.

“The department will launch a centre for performing arts in Gopalpur. We are also planning to set up a food craft institute here and organise festivals on World Tourism Day. We are also trying to provide allowance to more 2,000 performing artists of Ganjam,” the minister said.

Historians say that the cult of Buddhi Thakurani originated along with the emergence of Berhampur town in and around 1672. The biennial festival is celebrated to mark the visit of goddess Buddhi Thakurani from the temple to her father's house on Desibehera Street. The deity stays at her parent's place during the entire yatra period.

During the festival, people dress up as mythological or social characters and visit temporary abode of the goddess. The traditional bagha nacha or tiger dance is also one of the main attractions of the festival.