A four-day musical sojourn ‘Odissi Sangeet Mahotsav’ concluded on Friday here at the Bhanjakala Mandap celebrating the age-old classical tradition of the State.

The music aficionados enjoyed the festival that featured more than 300 vocalists and musicians who performed nonstop from 10am to 10pm every day.

Dinabandhu Panigrahi, a first- time visitor to the festival, was astonished to find the three generations of Odissi music who were also able to attract young and aged audiences. “It would not be a mistake to call the festival as Mahakumbh of Odissi music,” he observed, adding that here one can listen all genres of Odissi music that includes Chhanda, Champu, Chautisa, Bhajana and Janana.

Vocalists like Guru Ramahari Das, Guru Bijaya Kumar Jena, Dr. Sangeeta Gosain, Guru Keshab Chandra Rout, Guru Nimakanta Routray, Guru Dheeraj Kumar Mahapatra, Mahapatra Minati Bhanj, Rupak Parida, Sur Sarita Rout, Nazia Alam and of their ilk weaved magic with their melodious voice singing intricate ragas such as Saberi, Dhanashri, Garuda, Baradi and Bhairavi.

Guru Banamali Maharana, Guru Dhaneswara Swain, Guru Satchidananda Das, Guru Jagannath Kuanra, Guru Bijaya Kumar Barik, Guru Buddhanatha Swain and Guru Dibakara Parida were amongst those mardala players who accompanied the vocalists brilliantly.

The festival while is hosted by the Sangeeta Sudhakara Balakrushna Das Foundation for last 17 years, this year the Department of Culture, Department of Tourism of the Odisha Government and the Union Ministry of Culture organised the event.

When asked about the popularity of the festival, noted vocalist and secretary of the hosting foundation Guru Ramahari Das said, “The popularity of the festival is so immense that every year the number of participants is increasing. And so is happening in case of the number of visitors.” The sole aim of the festival is to spread the essence of Odissi music far and wide, he added.