Dikhyaa Mohanty 
In Puri, a two-day “Lighthouse Tourism Festival” got underway on Sunday. The Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways organized this unique scheme to promote lighthouse tourism in India.
Speading on this occasion, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said that temples are a major tourist attraction in Odisha and lighthouses will add to their lure. The Chief Minister said, “It was beyond imagination that the temple could be used as a tourist destination. But due to the extraordinary thinking and foresight of the Prime Minister, today our temples are becoming major tourist centers and spreading our innovation heritage. Lighthouses will add another dimension to Odisha’s tourism.”
It is noteworthy as Goa hosted the inaugural Lighthouse Tourism Festival the previous year. This year, Odisha is hosting the second Lighthouse Tourism Festival. The Chief Minister expressed gratitude to the Central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the recognition of Odisha’s temple tourist industry. On the Prime Minister’s recommendation, 75 lighthouses throughout the nation have been constructed to commemorate the nation’s 75 years of independence. Odisha has also produced five lighthouses: Gopalpur, Puri, Chandrabhaga, Falls Point, and Paradip.
