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Colourful start to Ganjam fete

Photo: Lingaraj Panda

Spirited welcome: ‘Bhanja Jyoti’ being taken to Ganjam Mahotshab grounds in Berhampur in a procession on Thursday. —

BERHAMPUR: The Ganjam festival kicked off in the city on Thursday evening with a colourful rally, carrying the flame brought from Kulada, the birth place of Kavismarat Upendra Bhanja.

State Minister for Culture, Energy and IT, Suryanarayan Patro lit up the ‘Akhand Jyoti’ at ITI ground to inaugurate the festival. The rally started from Court Peta Square to the beats of traditional musical instruments like drums, mridang, cymbals and conches. The inaugural evening of the week-long cultural fest was homage to the traditional folk dance and music of Ganjam district. The show started with Odissi vocal recital of compositions of Kabisamrat Bhanja performed by the artistes of ‘Nupur’. There was traditional Ranapa dance by Sarat Mohapatra of Narendrapur. This is a traditional war dance of Orissa performed on stilts. Noted Daskathia artist Ramahari Padhi also performed in which he tried to provide some lighter moments through lyrics of satire. The famous female ‘Pala’ troupe of Sholaghar and Kothisala troupe from Bhatakumarada were also part of the show.

The organisers did not forget to add up a performance of a ‘Sankirtan’ troupe, which are found in almost all villages of the district.Apart from these folk art performances, there were also Odissi dance recital by Jayant Acharya and his troupe and Purulia Chau performance. For the youngster, the organisers have organised modern dance performance by a youth dance troupe of the city ‘Moviemania’. A special pavilion on the historic events and personalities of Ganjam district were a major attraction of the festival.

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