Craft from waste pet bottles and clay modelling attracted people at the 13th Raahgiri on Sunday at Janpath in the capital city. Visitors also got a chance to learn this new genre of art.
During the event, Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena used the opportunity to make people aware on jaundice. Stressing the need to drink safe water, eat fresh food and keep the environment clean, he advised the citizens to be alert regarding all possible chances of contamination of the water sources.
Senior journalist Rajaram Satapathy said Raahgiri is perhaps the first event which fulfilled the dreams of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who had laid the foundation of the city in 1948.
City-based Art Ya Craft attracted a huge crowd with its colourful designs with discarded plastic and pet bottles to make Christmas tree, pen stand, small cups and other items.
The Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics organised a clay modelling workshop in which Kolkata-based Sumanta Guha guided students and youth of the city the nuances of the clay modelling activity.
Art Ya Craft volunteers also conducted face tattoo sessions to spread several social messages for the public. The People’s Cultural Centre (Pecuc) organised a children’s play and street plays on the occasion.
While martial art was demonstrated by students of the KISS and the Unit II Girls’ High School, pets were also seen more in numbers at the Raahgiri venue.
Reopening of the Stage II provided many opportunities to artists to perform and the public to enjoy shows in Odia, Hindi and other local languages. Santhali dance was also performed. Girls of the Odisha Sobhaniya Shikshashram enchanted the audience with a colourful performance.