Bhubaneswar, May 14: The essence of motherhood was celebrated at today's Ekamra Walks and Patha Utsav.

At the 22nd edition of Ekamra Walks, tour guide Satyaswarup Mishra explained how women and mothers got appropriate projection in temple art and pointed at statues of mother and child on the walls of the Mukteswar Temple.

Later at Parsurameswar Temple, Mishra also explained the Sapta Matruka (seven forms of Shakti), which is represented as the seven furious forms of the Devi Parvati or Shakti.

It is well known that to safeguard her child a mother can take up any furious form so that the child remains out of danger.

"According to Hindu mythology and the traditional temple building code or Shilpa Sashtra, the shrines were also designed as human bodies and there were always ample representation of statues representing various forms of women, including mother," he said.

Around 40 walkers, including a noted tour operator from Germany, bankers, academics from a top management institute took part in the event today. Chief general manager of the State Bank of India B. Venu Gopala Reddy were also present with other top officials of the bank.

Sujith Soman, executive director of COMINDIA, an Indo-German tourism venture based in Essen, Germany, took part in the event.

Soman said: "I have a rich experience in promoting the tourism potential in Europe and especially in Germany, but somehow missed Odisha. I am really overwhelmed upon realising the rich architectural wealth of the city and hope that it will attract more visitors from Germany."

Starting from the backdrops of the stage to the street sides of the Janpath a number of activities were hosted on the theme at Patha Utsav.