The four-day -long sixth edition of annual Chilika Mahotsav got off to a colourful start on Thursday on Chilika coast at Satpara.
Assembly Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat inaugurated the cultural extravaganza in presence of Health Minister Pratap Jena.
The Mahotsav aims to present the Odishan art, craft, cuisine and culture before the visitors. Earlier in the morning, the divine flame was brought in a massive boat procession from Kalijai to the Satpara venue. An exhibition of art and craft and on Chilika lagoon lives was presented before the audience through audio and visual gadgets.
The guests on the occasion lauded the effort of the local Biju Janata Dal (BJD) legislator Sanjay Dasburma for developing the lagoon for boosting tourism which is a major source of livelihood for many residents of Sarpara and Krushnaprasad area, apart from fish. Dasburma announced a number of development projects in the pipeline for the Brahmagiri constituency.
Others who addressed the gathering include chief executive of Chilika Development Authority Susanta Kumar Nanda and DRDA PD Udhav Chandra Majhi, besides cine star Versha Priyadarshini.
The guests unveiled a book on the lake written by Raghunath Mohanty, while a souvenir was also inaugurated.Individual artists and troupes presented a number of folk dances and ballets based on the legends of the Chilika lake.