Bhubaneswar: CM Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday announced that Gurujang village in Angul district, the birthplace of social reformer and spiritual guru Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati — who was killed in 2008 — will be developed as a heritage village, while the entire gram panchayat will be upgraded into an ‘adarsh (model) panchayat’ with enhanced infrastructure and civic amenities.Announcing this during the seer’s birth centenary celebrations at Gurujang, the chief minister also said that justice will be delivered for “every drop of Swamiji’s blood and the truth will surely come out”. Saraswati was born on Sharavana Shukla Navami in 1926, which corresponds to Aug 21 this year.Recalling the seer’s killing on Janmashtami in 2008, the chief minister criticised the previous govt, accusing it of failure, neglect and appeasement politics. He also alleged that the disappearance of related records and reports of Justice A S Naidu from Lok Seva Bhavan was part of a conspiracy to shield the guilty.Describing Saraswati as a symbol of social reform, spiritual awakening and service to tribal communities, the CM said the monk dedicated his life to the welfare of people in remote areas of Kandhamal, and worked for education and cultural empowerment through institutions such as Chakapad and Jalespata ashrams and a girls’ gurukul.Majhi added Saraswati was “the guide, scripture and pride” of society and credited him with spreading awareness of Sanatan values among the tribal communities. He urged the younger generation to reconnect with Indian traditions, culture, Sanskrit and nation-building.Highlighting the steps taken by the state govt to honour the seer, Majhi said Phulbani Government Medical College has been renamed after Saraswati, and Rs 13 crore has been sanctioned from the chief minister’s special assistance fund for preservation and development of the Jalespata Ashram and associated heritage assets.Majhi added Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ reflected the spirit of Saraswati’s philosophy of ‘antyodaya’ and inclusive development.Assembly speaker Surama Padhy also paid tributes to the seer, and called upon people, especially youths, to draw inspiration from his life and work.Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan welcomed the chief minister’s decision to develop Gurujang as a heritage village and the panchayat as a model panchayat, calling it a fitting tribute to Saraswati’s legacy.Pradhan said Saraswati was more than a religious leader. “The seer’s efforts helped tribal communities in areas such as Kandhamal become self-reliant and regain self-respect. Through the Jalespata and Chakapad ashrams, Laxmanananda sparked social transformation by promoting Sanskrit education and moral values among tribal girls, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire younger generations,” he said.
