Bhowanipore's Northern Park took centre stage in celebrating Rath Yatra and Odisha Festival, showcasing the rich heritage and culture of Odisha. Organised by Utkala, the non-profit cultural wing of Sri Jagannath Seva Samiti, the event incorporated vibrant elements from the Odia milieu, including Chhau dance and folk songs. The festivities began on June 21 and are set to captivate attendees till June 27
All photos by Amit Pramanik
The governor of West Bengal, CV Ananda Bose, inaugurated the event as the chief guest in the presence of Ashim Kumar Bose, the councillor of Northern Park; Chandra Sekhar Panigrahi, president of Jagannath Seva Samiti; Kashinath Behera, president of Utkala, among other dignitaries. ‘I’m not an artist. I’m a bureaucrat, but I understand the importance of art and its various forms in society… Art and culture should be sustained so that hard power is replaced by soft power, by means of music, painting and poetry,’ said the governor
‘At Kidderpore Jagannath Mandir, we celebrate Rath Yatra with great enthusiasm, while also hosting the Odisha Festival, a week-long extravaganza. Our goal is to introduce the people of Bengal to the vibrant culture, arts and music of Odisha by incorporating elements of Odisha’s artefacts and cuisine. As we commemorate the 75th Rath Yatra, we strive to promote the Jagannath culture among temple visitors, encouraging them to embrace and propagate this rich heritage,’ said CS Panigrahi, president of Jagannath Seva Samiti
Every year since 2003, the Utkala Samman has been bestowed upon individuals who have made exceptional contributions to art and culture. This year, Debashis Mohapatra, prominent Odia singer, musician and composer, was honoured with the award. Mohapatra, popularly known as ‘Nayankanka Gayaka’, enchanted the audience with his performance of Jhumar folk songs directed by his guru Subhash Chandra Patra
The cultural extravaganza by Utkala reached one of its high notes with a stunning acro-yoga performance by Rajesh Maiti, accompanied by his fellow dancers from Chitralekha Yoga Research Institute, Selimpur. The inclusion of this mesmerising yoga act was particularly significant as it coincided with the celebration of International Yoga Day
