The State is set for the 16th annual Odishi Sangeet Utsav at Bhanja Kala Mandap here featuring above 600 musicians who will join a four-day long non-stop Odishi music marathon commencing on Thursday.
The only festival of its kind, it is being hosted by well-known Sangeet Sudhakar Balakrushna Das Foundation, set up in memory of the legendary Odia singer and composer.
“The festival continues to be the annual union of the Odishi musicians from across India. Odishi music is an ancient and a distinct music tradition of India at par with the Hindustani and the Carnatic. However, owing to lack of its publicity and the required patronage, the music tradition suffered due popularity. Hence, we, the disciples of late Balakrushna Das, came up with the idea of an exclusive annual Odishi music festival in the land of Odishi 16 years ago. The festival is a tribute to the maestro who had taken the music to newer heights,” explained Foundation’s founder-secretary and eminent Odishi Guru Ramahari Das.
The festival, the much-awaited affair for the Odishi musicians and connoisseurs of Odishi music, sees an assembly of Odishi musicians – both vocalists and instrumentalists – from all parts of Odisha apart from neighbouring States of Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal where major Odia population exists. Interestingly, there are singers from such regions beyond the borders of Odisha where they no more speak in Odia language and yet sing in Odia,” stated Foundation president DK Ray.
The festival showcases various genres of Odishi music that took regional flavours in its evolution in various regions. The unique Jaga Akada Sangeet of Puri is one such rare genre, informed Das. A troupe from Puri will present the special music concert, he informed.
Veteran and established vocalists like Arati Mishra, Keshav Rout, Bijay Jena, Ram-laxman brothers, Mitali Chinara and Sangeeta Gosain will perform during the festival that will also have a special segment for the young and up-coming singers, it is learnt.
Following the inauguration on Thursday evening, the marathon will continue from 10 in the morning till late evenings without any break, the hosts said.