The week-long annual Dharmasala Mahotsav at Dharmasala of Jajpur district attracted many artisans, dancers, poets, singers and other performers.
Dharmasala area famous for langudi, Kaima Bajragiri, Deuli, Radha nagar and Tarapur, which are famous Buddhist sites, buzzed with cultural activities as the festival was underway.
The site was lit up with decorative lights. Hundreds of artisans, dancers and others participated in various cultural programmes. The aim of the festival is to spread the message of peace and love and educate people about the teachings of Buddha and cultural heritages of Dharmasala, said Mahotsav Committee advisor Pranab Balabantray.
Besides cultural functions, many handicraft centers of the State also opened their stalls in the festival. For centuries, Dharmasala area has been a pilgrimage center for Buddhists. Buddhism can be explored through its beautiful monasteries, sculpture, paintings and its colourful festivals, said a researcher Dr Nrusingh Sahoo.
The festival was first organised in 2007 to promote religious and cultural tourism of the area. The festival attaches primacy to various folk dances, Goti Pua, Odissi , Ghoda Nacha and drama based on the life of lord Buddha and photo exhibitions, informed Sahoo.
Dharmasala festival is also a photographers’ delight as visually it is spectacular. People come from far and wide to the festival to add to the enthusiasm and joy with which it is celebrated. Ritual dances representing the triumph of good over evil are part of the festivities. These dances depict the victory of the powerful deities of Mahayana Buddhism over evil spirits.
The dancers are a swirl of colours as they gracefully execute the movements, wearing multi-hued robes and grotesque masks symbolising both evil and good spirits, said Mahotsav committee president Jaladhar Mohanty.