Nabarangpur: Today, on the 10th day of Odia Paksha celebrations, a special event dedicated to folk art was organized in Maliguda village under Nandahandi block of Nabarangpur district. The event was graced by Additional District Collector (Revenue) Biswajit Barman as the chief guest, who inaugurated the program by lighting the ceremonial lamp and offering floral tribute to the statue of renowned folk theatre maestro Late Chaitanya Bishoi.
As per the instructions of the state government, the Odia Paksha celebration aims to revive and enrich the local art, culture, history, and traditions of Nabarangpur district. The objective of the event was to honor the dedication, sacrifices, and time of local artists, to educate the younger generation, and to encourage everyone to contribute to making the region’s folk art more popular.
Other notable guests included Nandahandi Tehsildar Chandrahans Mahanandia, BDO Sunil Khara, veteran artist Debdas Mahakud, Karshik Bhatra, Narsingh Tripathy, Mohan Parida, and Bhagaban Bhatra.
It was emphasized that the rising obscenity in today’s folk performances should be discouraged and eliminated, and that special focus must be given to protecting and preserving the essence of traditional arts. Youth were especially encouraged to uphold and appreciate the legacy of folk traditions.
The program featured cultural performances by institutions like Sailudi Nrutya Vidyapitha, Purushottam Kala Kendra, Odissi Sangeet and Nrutya Pratisthan, and Trishakti Cultural Association.
Vice-chairpersons from cultural councils of 10 blocks and 18 renowned senior artists from across the district were honored with certificates of recognition.
Artists from various blocks such as Bhim Bhatra, Shyam Ghanshyam Das, Dambaru Dhar Nayak, and Tanka Mandal participated, along with several art enthusiasts. The event was organized and coordinated by District Culture Officer Ghasia Harijan, who managed the entire stage and planning of the session