Curtain Goes Up On Mukteswar Dance Festival In Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: The three-day Mukteswar Dance Festival, organised by Odisha Tourism in association with Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi, took off on the premises of the 10th century Mukteswar Temple in the city on Thursday evening.

The day’s programme began with customary ‘Shiva Vandana’ recited by Pt A Maheswar Rao and Group of Nad Ninad, Cuttack. It was followed by solo performance by accomplished Odissi danseuse Meera Das, founder of Gunjan Dance Academy, Cuttack including ‘abhinaya’ on the Ramayana’s episode of ‘Shabari’.

Preetisha Mohapatra and Reebdhita Barua from Srjan, Bhubaneswar presented a duet on ‘Sri Rama Stuti’. The concluding show was group Odissi performance by Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, Bhubaneswar highlighting the aspects of ‘Shakti’.

Following the Mukteswar Dance Festival (14 – 16 January), Odisha Tourism is scheduled to organise the Rajarani Music Festival from 18 to 20 January, 2021.

The Odisha Tourism has organised the festival in complete adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols.

The prominent guests present at the inaugural evening included Pradeep Kumar Jena, Development Commissioner; Vishal Kumar Dev, Principal Secretary, Tourism, Shreemayee Mishra, Chairperson, OTDC, Sachin Ramachandra Jadhav, Director Tourism  and Guru Aruna Mohanty, Secretary, Orissa Dance Academy.