‘Parab a platform to propagate Koraput tribal culture, art’

The three-day State level tribal cultural festival Parab-2012, which had kicked off on Friday, concluded on Sunday (November 18) after a glittering display of a host of cultural events.

 Attending as chief guest on the valedictory function, Tribal Development Minister of Maharashtra Rajendra Gavit said that Koraput is famous for its tribal culture in the nation and Parab has been the platform to preserve the district’s art and culture for the last sixteen years.

Gavit also opined that all the States should observe such a festival to preserve their culture. The Minister also informed that his State will organize such a Lok Mahotsav in coming days.

While District Collector Sachin Jadhav presided over the function, others who attended as guests include Koraput MP Jayaram Pangi, School and Mass Education Department Secretary Usha Padhee, Unicef Odisha chief U Me Bae, Nalco Damonjodi ED BN Mohanty, HAL ED Anirudh Kumar, Odisha Tour Operator chief Benjamin Simon and Sub Collector Rasmita Panda.

Minister Gavit was felicitated with Parab Memory Trophy by the District Council of Culture. Parab competition winners in various events were also awarded on the occasion. In college level Parab celebration, Laxmipur College got the first prize, Aeronautics College, Sunabeda got second, while Semiliguda College got the third prize.

In cultural competition, first prize was won by the Pottangi block, second was jointly presented to Nandapur and Koraput NAC, while the third prize was won by the Kundra block. In sports competition, Jeypore Municipality, Koraput NAC and Kotpad NAC stood first, second and third respectively.

All India Radio, Jeypore was felicitated for transmission of tribal art and culture. Later, a series of cultural events was performed including Odissi by Sujata Mohapatra and Group, Bhubaneswar, special dances by the Prince Dance group, Berhampur and Sidhi Dhammal of Gujrat, Durua dance by a group from Boipariguda, besides tribal folk dances by troupes from across the district. Source: The Pioneer  

‘Gajapati Utsav’ inaugurated

The ‘Gajapati Utsav’ the three-day cultural festival of Gajapati district is continuing at the district headquarter town Paralakhemundi since January 08. 

It was inaugurated on Friday evening by the State Cabinet Minister Damodar Raut. The Berhampur MP, Siddhant Mohapatra, Mohana MLA Chakradhar Paika, chairman of the organising committee and Paralakhemundi MLA K.Narayan Rao, Zilla Parishad president, Y. Ramchandra Rao and Gajapati Collector, Prakash Dash were present during the inauguration ceremony.

This cultural festival is the culmination of similar cultural festivals of smaller scale organised at panchayat and block level in the district during past week.

Through these grass root level cultural festivals local talents were selected for this district level cultural festival. The organising committee of the festival had first chosen talents from the panchayat level competitions, who were again put to test at block level ceremony. The talents picked from the block level cultural festivals are to perform in the ‘Gajapati Utsav’.

Cultural troupes from other parts of the State and outside the State are also taking part in this cultural festival. The East Zone Cultural Centre, Kolkata has brought in cultural troupes from outside the State to perform in this festival.  

An exhibition of traditional handicraft has also been organised near the venue of the festival. The inaugural evening started with recitation of vedic chants by a young talent of Gajapati district, Anurag Nayak. There was Odissi recital by ‘Nrutya Dham’ of Bhubaneswar. Modern dance recitals by Nataraj Dance Troupe of Paralakhemundi and troupe from Ganjam district set the mood of the youths attending the show. Members of the ‘Utkal Hitaisini’ of Paralakhemundi performed Sambalpuri folk dance.

Tribal dance troupe from Nuagarh block of the district enthralled the audience with their performance on stage. The second evening of the cultural festival also comprised of an entertaining cocktail of traditional and modern song and dance performances by troupes of the district and outside.

Source: The Hindu