Festival to celebrate art, culture, cuisine of Odisha

From relishing the much revered Jagannath bhog to witnessing the traditional Odissi dance, Delhiites will get an opportunity to come closer to the Odiya culture, its cuisine and art forms during the three-day Odisha Parba here.

Beginning April 29, the festival will host a spectrum of events showcasing Odisha's history, art, culture, traditions, dance forms and culinary delights.

"One might say that we have been late with this festival promoting Odisha and its great heritage, but as they say better late than never.

"This first of its kind presentation will showcase the culture of Odisha while placing before the national audience many unknown and lesser known facts about the state," Sidharth Pradhan, President of Odia Samaj here, said.

Displaying the traditional folk art with 600 odd-artistes performing tribal and folk dances, the festival will also have famed Odiya artefacts including sculptures and famous textiles showcased at an exhibition titled 'Hasta Shilpa Haat'.

"Wood carvings, applique works, the famous Pattachitra and weaving of Sambhalpuri sarees will be done live by the artistes in front of the audience," Pradhan said.

A lavish spread of the state's traditional cuisine will be up for grabs at the eatery enclave.

Mouth-watering snacks and popular Odia sweets will be on offer including 'mudhi mangsa' and 'chhenapoda'.

"There will be both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes and a variety of sea food in the eatery enclave. Many of these food items will be novelties for the taste buds in the cosmopolitan national capital," he said.

Replicas of the three colourful chariots of Jagannath Dham will welcome visitors at the entrance. Majestic sand art by internationally acclaimed sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik will also be exhibited.

"A workshop in sand art will be conducted by Pattnaik to inspire new talent to learn about this globally acclaimed art form," he said.

The Parba will be organised at August Kranti Udyan 'A' at India Gate Lawns.