After remaining vacant for nearly 25 years, the official residence of Odisha chief minister in state capital Bhubaneswar welcomed a new occupant as Mohan Charan Majhi formally moved in on Thursday.
Majhi, accompanied by his wife Priyanka Marandi and their children, performed the Gruha Pravesh (housewarming) ceremony at 10:47 am, following a puja conducted by 11 priests from Puri.
"The chief minister entered the official residence along with two cows, according to Hindu rituals of Gruha Pravesh," said Pandit Bishnu Charan Panda, one of the officiating priests.
The two cows, named Nandi and Nandini, were worshiped during the ceremony and will continue to reside on the premises.
Majhi had previously been staying at a government quarters on Mahatma Gandhi Marg.
However, due to its proximity to an agitation site, security personnel faced frequent challenges, an official said.
The new CM's residence, located between AG Chhak and Raj Bhavan, had remained unoccupied for over two decades as former CM Naveen Patnaik chose to reside at his private home, Naveen Niwas, near the airport.
The two-storey official residence, situated near the CM's grievance cell, underwent extensive renovations over the past eight months.
The upgraded residence now features multiple conference rooms, a watchtower, and a spacious garden.
The official residence was previously occupied by former chief ministers JB Patnaik and Giridhar Gamang until 2000.
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