Bhubaneswar: Family of veteran Odia Jatra artiste Devi Prasad Rath, who passed away on Wednesday following a cardiac arrest, has blamed DJ music played during Boita Bandana Utsav celebration as part of the Kartika Purnima ritual for his death.
“We lost him to the blaring music. Our entire house was trembling due to loud vibration from the amplified DJ music. It went on for about 2 hours with no one paying any head to our repeated requests,” his son alleged.
The 71-year-old Jatra icon, who had been keeping unwell for the last several days, suffered a heart attack while asleep at his home at Paradipgarh in Jagatsinghpur district early this morning.
After beginning his journey as a child artist in plays, Rath had a distinguished career spanning over four decades in the Odia jatra industry. He began his career in now the disbanded Jatra troupe, Binapani Kalakunja, Tarapur, and performed in over 100 productions.
Known for his versatility, Rath created a flutter among opera lovers in Odisha when he rode a Bullet to the stage in the play ‘Jail Tiger’ in 1980s and remained one of the most respected figures in the performing arts circle in the state.
His name became synonymous with dedication and artistry and was widely known as Mama.
He formally retired from the Jatra stage in 2017, marking the end of a 42-year journey that defined an era of Odia travelling theatre. His last appearance was in the play “Thaki Dela Bandhu Thikana Bele,” remembered by audiences for his expressive performance and natural dialogue delivery.
