Cow dung water sprinkled as symbolic protest over holding of women's bodybuilding event in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: A local organisation sprinkled cow dung water at Bhajan Mandap near Lord Lingaraj temple here as a symbolic protest after a women's bodybuilding championship was held at that place.

The 12th East Zone Men's & Women's Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship 2026 was conducted here at the Bhajan Mandap on January 10 and 11. Several men and women bodybuilders from eastern states participated in the sporting event.

In protest of the display of bodies by women participants, members of 'Puruna Bhubaneswar Sachetan Nagarik Brunda' in Bhubaneswar sprinkled cow dung as "purification ritual" on Tuesday, a member of the organisation said.

Chabi Swain, a member of the citizens' forum, said, "Wearing short dresses, the women displayed their bodies, which impure the sacred place. So, we sprinkled cow dung water to purify the Bhajan Mandap of Lord Lingaraj".

It is not proper to organise such a bodybuilding championship at the Mandap, said local corporator Siba Prasad Behera.

"We demand that such an event should not be organised near Lord Lingaraj temple in future," Behera said.

However, women bodybuilders and their association strongly reacted to the sprinkling of cow dung water. "Bodybuilding is a national and international sporting event. Like in swimming competition has its own costume, the bodybuilding championship has its own dress code, and we followed it. The protest by sprinkling cow dung water is a disrespect for us," said Anupama Swain, a woman bodybuilder.

Sumitra Tripathy, chairperson of Odisha Body Building Association, said, "Those who are unaware about the sporting event can say that the women wore short dresses to show off their bodies. The participants have done nothing wrong, they just followed the dress code."