The auditorium came alive with Sahi Jatra, a folk dance from Puri depicting Durga Medha being staged, at the Bhanja Kala Mandap here in a two-day festival on folk dance and instruments that concluded on Friday.
“Sahi Jatra begins on the Ram Navami. It involves two phases — a martial art show and depiction of an episode from the Ramayan. The artistes from seven sahis participated,” informed troupe leader Bikram Sahu. This was followed by Shehnai playing by M Simadri. The special attraction of the festival was Ranapa and Chadheya dance of Ganjam. The city audience also saw Ghumura of Kalahandi, Singabadya of Phulbani, Ghanta Mrudanga and others.
“Classical dances come from folk art like Odishi which originated from Gotipua. People now recognize the classical dances while forgetting their origin, the folk art,” said Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi secretary Dhirendranath Mallick. He also said there is a need for encouraging, preserving and propagating folk art. “We propose to develop Guru-Sisya tradition to preserve the folk art,” he informed.
“Now people gather where there is an accident on the road. They are more interested in cricket than in folk dance, art or music which has its own beauty,” said Tourism and Culture secretary Arvind Padhee. He declared that his department would organise one programme on folk art/music once in a week at the Ekamra Hat to popularize and create an interest in people for the art.
The cultural festival being hosted by the State Culture Department in association with the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi also witnessed Jhumara, Madala, Khanjani, Dholamahuri, Ghanta Mrudanga and many more folk dances and instruments. The two-day festival was inaugurated by Culture Minister Ashok Chandra Panda on February 25.