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State’s New Year gift to Odissi dancers

BHUBANESWAR: For the ever increasing tribe of Odissi dancers in India and abroad, Orissa Government has got a New Year gift, literally. It has decided to host an annual Odissi dance festival in the city in the last week of December.

Culture Minister S.N. Patro announced this while addressing the valedictory evening of the five-day festival of Odissi dance and music hosted by the department in the Capital on Sunday.

"We had hosted an international Odissi dance festival here last year in association with the US-based non-resident Oriyas that was a grand affair and its success inspired us to launch an annual festival in this land of Odissi with the State’s patronage. The Chief Minister has already approved our proposal," Mr.Patro said.

The festival would start every year on December 26 and the department of tourism has been requested to include it in its annual calendar, the Minister said.

Governor M.C. Bhandare, who was chief guest, regretted that while Odissi music has been an integral part of Odissi dance, it is yet to get the desired popularity, patronage and classical status. Mr. Bhandare regretted that even though he was keen to have CDs of Odissi music, he could not get it. "Hope, the department of culture would look at this humble requirement," he stated.

The Governor further emphasised on the need for maintaining authenticity and quality in training in Odissi dance.

The tradition set up by the illustrious predecessors need to be preserved and duly transferred to the new generation, he maintained.

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