International Odissi Dance Festival Opens at Rabindra Mandap, Celebrating Odisha’s Cultural Legacy

Bhubaneswar: The International Odissi Dance Festival was inaugurated with grandeur at Rabindra Mandap on Thursday, enthralling audiences with captivating performances and a vibrant celebration of Odisha’s rich artistic heritage. The five-day festival, being held from December 26 to 30, is jointly organised by the Guru Kelucharan Odissi Research Centre and the Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department.

The inaugural evening was graced by Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj as the Chief Guest. Addressing the gathering, the Minister extended his greetings to Odissi dancers and artistes and said that Odissi dance has played a pivotal role in taking Odisha’s art and cultural legacy to the global stage. He described Odissi as a powerful medium that has earned international recognition for the state’s distinct cultural identity.

Speaking on the occasion, Special Secretary, Culture Department, Deba Prasad Dash, said that Odias take immense pride in Odissi dance, which has secured a unique place for Odisha at the international level. Highlighting its growing global acceptance, he noted that institutions such as IIT Bhubaneswar have included Odissi dance in their B.Tech curriculum, while an Odissi Centre has also been established at Oxford University.

The inaugural programme commenced with a traditional “Mangala Charan” presented by dancers of the Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra Odissi Research Centre. The highlight of the evening was a spellbinding recital by eminent Odissi dancer Guru Bishnutattva Das, who beautifully rendered an Ashtapadi from Jayadeva’s Gita Govinda. Solo Odissi performances were presented by Arpita Pani, Tulika Tripathy, Prashanti Jena and Prabhutosh Panda. Duet performances by Tanmay Samadar and Farzana Jasmine, and G. Sanjay and Diana Ghosh, added further charm, while artistes of the Sankalpa Foundation presented an impressive group Odissi performance.

During the programme, the Culture Minister also inaugurated an art exhibition titled “A Celebration of Art, Dance and Music”, featuring paintings on Odissi dance by renowned artists. He appreciated the sand art installations inspired by Odissi dance displayed at the venue.

A special attraction of this year’s festival is the “Mo Odissi” selfie stand, which has drawn enthusiastic participation from young visitors. Additionally, handloom and handicraft stalls, along with millet food stalls, have been set up at Rabindra Mandap, adding to the festive atmosphere.

Around 350 dancers are participating in this year’s festival, including about 15 Odissi dancers from abroad. Artistes from Odisha, West Bengal, New Delhi, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Haryana, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh, as well as from countries such as the United States, France, Germany, Australia and Malaysia, are taking part in the festival.