The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : ‘Sri Jagannathayana’ provides a glimpse of Jagannatha cult

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‘Sri Jagannathayana’ provides a glimpse of Jagannatha cult

Correspondent

BHUBANESWAR: The Department of Culture in association with the Orissa Sahitya Akademi, Orissa Sangeet Natak Akademi, and Orissa Lalit Kala Akademi, Odissi Research Centre besides city-based Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya and B.K.College of Art and Crafts staged ‘Sri Jagannathayana’, an exclusive cultural evening highlighting the cult of Lord Jagannath at Rabindra Mandap here on Monday.

Inaugurating the event, Director of Culture Bhawani Shankar Panda maintained that Lord Jagannath has the greatest influence on the life, art, literature and culture of Orissa. The Department took the initiative of hosting such an event to offer the people an opportunity to have glimpses of the influence, he elaborated.

The event kicked off with recital of Jagannath janana (devotional music) by Narasingha Pradhan. It was followed by a talk on the cult of Jagannath by Gangadhar Sarangi, a scholar and orator.

Highlight

The most exciting presentation of the evening was the dance drama Nilachale Sri Gouranga staged by the city-based Bansi Bilas cultural organisation in association with the Suravi Odissi dance ensemble. While Swarna Mohanty has scripted the songs and late legendary singer-composer Balakrushna Dash has scored the music, Guru Pitambar Biswal has directed the drama.

Young Odissi dancers Raseswari, Lipsa, Amrita, Sangya Sucharita, Nirupama, Shilpa, Subhra, Baisakhi and Sonali were cast in different characters.

An exhibition of paintings by the students of the B.K.College of Art and Crafts – all based on Jagannath – was on display on the occasion.

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