Folk Art Fest ‘Mahuri Mahotsav’ Brings 200 Artists On One Stage In Odisha’s Berhampur

Berhampur: The two-day ‘Mahuri Mahotsav’ that captivated the audience with a range of traditional folk music and dance presented by artists of Odisha’s Ganjam district in Berhampur concluded on Sunday.

‘Mahuri Mahotsav’, which was held for the first time, presented dying folk art forms of Ganjam, including performing arts by 8 teams, ended on Sunday.

Around 200 artistes of 8 teams presented their performance in the two-day folk art festival organised at the Biju Patnaik Sanskruti Bhaban Hillptna in Berhampur.

It provided an opportunity to the people to appreciate the practical aspects of the art and live demonstration of producing masterpieces using traditional skill and expertise.

The artists of two Danda Nata party including Swapneswar Natya Kala Sansad of Purushottampur and Maa Dakhina Kali Natya Sansad of Patapur, two Kothisala troupes including Maa Mangala Kothisala Gahani from Mundamarai and Maa Mangala Kothisala Gahani from Balakrushnapur mesmerised the audience with their traditional art form.

Maa Narayani Daskathia from Fulta explained the transformation of Daskathia as an art form. While the artists of Ganjam Zilla Dholia Mahasangha played their ‘Dholas’ reverberating in the atmosphere, the beating of ‘Mrudanga’ by the artists from Maa Ramlingeswar Natya Kala Sansad of Odia Dhamana Sahi Ganjam filled the air to present a rare experience.

Bagha Nata by an 8-year-old boy attracted everybody’s attention. Artists from other groups also performed ‘Chod Gajia’, ‘Ranapa’ and ‘Ghumra’ to a sound round of applause from the audience.

The stage of ‘Mahuri Mahotsav’ was specially crafted as per the traditions. The festival took off after installation of the ‘Aagyanmala’ from ‘Budhi Thakurani’, the presiding deity of Berhampur, on the stage.

The festival was organised to offer a platform to folk artists, said Sanyasi Maharana, chairman of the festival committee. “It is not only a form of entertainment but also a means of transmitting the cultural heritage and values of folk arts,” said coordinator of the programme Kartik Panigrahi and cultural coordinator Sibananda Barik, Sagarika Acharya and Krutisikha Chowdhury.

Five persons were felicitated for their outstanding contributions in different fields on the occasion. They included Krushnachandra Tripathy (Researcher on Culture), Anil Patra (Drama), Nelu Pradhan (transgender artist of Danda Nata), Prakash Patnaik (Journalism) and Mihir Ranjan Tripathy (Literature).