Other States - Orissa   

Uncertainty over ‘Kshetra Utsav’

BHUBANESWAR: The uncertainty over hosting the annual ‘Shreekshetra Utsav’ of Puri by the State Government has not only worried the stake-holders in the hospitality industry but also the large number of craftsmen in Puri and its neighbouring artists’ village like Raghurajpur and Dandasahi.

The annual Shreekshetra Utsav began in 2005 to make the tourists and pilgrims familiar with the rich history, culture and tradition of the ancient town. Spread over two weeks in December, It had several attractive features like Shree Jayadev Odissi Sangeet Samaroh (Odissi dance and music event), ‘Khandua’ (the handloom exhibition) and ‘Chandua’ (handicrafts exhibition).

The added attractions are ‘Bhojan’ (a food festival offering the delicacies of Orissa), ‘Bhagabat parayan and prabachan (religious recitation and discourse) and the famous sand art of Puri. While, the people of this temple town and the tourists are excited about the third edition of the Shreekshetra Utsav to be held this December, for reasons best known to the Tourism Directorate, which will be organising it in association with different agencies, has decided to merge it with the annual Puri Beach Festival in November this year. However, the organisers of the Beach Festival are said to be against the move. The festival has fetched them a fortune in the past two years, they maintained and added that nearly 50,000 people visited their stalls last year and the sale of handicraft products had touched Rs.12 lakh mark.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Uncertainty over ‘Kshetra Utsav’
Book on career options released
Konark fest
Buffalo owners demand dairy outside city limits
Youth mela
Delay in bamboo cutting operation worries tribals
Move to shift court opposed
School teachers to continue stir
Baliyatra: 15 child labourers rescued
Naveen announces sop to education volunteers
House adjourned sine die

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu