The members from a delegation accompanying internationally known Odishi Guru Ramli Ibrahim, three senior officials from the International Hockey Federation or Federation Internationale de Hockey (FIH) and a traveler from Italy were among the guests besides other walkers making it a memorable one with 81 joining the heritage trail starting from Mancheswar temple despite a chilly early December winter.
Pam Stuper from US, Maureen Craig from Trinidad and Tobago and Hazel Kennedy from Zambia are the Executive Board Members of FIH and they are part of the delegation in the city for the ongoing Odisha Men’s Hockey World league at the hockey facility at the Kalinga Stadium Complex.
All three FIH officials were all praise for the city’s beautiful monuments, but above all they mentioned the people, hospitality and the helping nature of the locals.
Pam who is originally from Pennsylvania but currently stays in Connecticut, a city near New York, said, “Though this is my first visit to Odisha, I really was overwhelmed with its hospitality. Besides, the heritage tour is also very educative.”
Maureen and Hazel also came to Odisha for the first time and both also enjoyed the heritage walk and listened to the tour guide patiently.
Prof Mazlan Othman, who teaches Astrophysics at the National University of Malaysia, who was part of the tour, said, “The old heritage of the city is so beautiful and it reminds me the Indonesian heritage in which there is an impression of ancient Kalingan craftsmanship.”
Art and cultural expert Kiran Vyas, also part of the tour, also praised the old structures in Bhubaneswar.
A cultural team from Malaysia, besides dancers, comprises people from various fields, was also part of the tour. The team will see the Konark Festival and the International Sand Art Festival, apart from other popular tourism destinations during their stay in the city. John Cheah, also a member of the Malaysian group, who came to Odisha for the first time, was delighted experiencing the ancient temples and the stone carvings on their walls.
Stefania Campogianni, who is stationed at Brussels, but originally from Italy, said, “I have visited India on several occasions before, but never been to Odisha. On my first experience, I liked the heritage tour very much.”