Odisha’s Noted Pala Artiste Balabhadra Panda No More

Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s noted Pala artiste Chinmaya Balabhadra Panda passed away at his daughter’s house in Gandarpur area on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar on Thursday night. He was 75.

According to sources, he was keeping unwell for the last few months.

Family sources said his last rites will be performed today at his native place, Surangapalli village near Pipili in Puri district, by adhering to the COVID guidelines.

He was vice-chairman of Shree Jagannath Pala Research Foundation (SJPRF) and was instrumental in introducing ‘Bhagabat’ in Pala for which he  had carved out a niche for himself in the folk art world.

Counted among the few artistes of the 21st century who brought revolution and new styles to Pala Gayan, Balabhadra Panda had introduced both spiritualism and socialism at massive scale with his unique style of Pala presentation.

Chairman of SJPRF Laxmidhar Rout, working committee president Sandeep Mishra, senior Pala artist Prahallad Sahu, Surendranath Chhotray and Chakradhara Barik have condoled the death of doyen of Pala.

President of Shri Nilachala Nikhiloktal Pala Gayak Parishad Madan Mohan Jena also paid rich tributes to Panda.

Honoured with the title of Bhagabata Bushan, Panda also played a vital role in bringing Pala art form from general people to intellectuals.

A pall of gloom descended on the Pala community, who termed his demise as a colossal loss to the folk art form.