Report by OD bureau; Bhubaneswar: The 3-day long State Level Pala & Dasakathia Utsav has come to an end after receiving unprecedented success. With the patronage of the Department of Tourism & Culture, Odisha Sangeet Natak Academy’s venture to bring this traditional performing art to the capital city has been appreciated by one and all.

The programme started with Dasakathia by Gayaka Ratna Rabinarayan Satpathy and Sisir Kumar Satpathy. The popular duo presented Siva Dhanu Bhanga and Sita Swayambar from the Ramayan. The typical style of Dasakathia found a vivid expression in the performance of Shri Satapathy. This was followed by traditional Pala by the artiste Kumudini Patel and her troupe. Despite being physically challenged, Kumudini with her scintillating renderings enthralled everybody at Rabindra Mandap. She presented Sasirekha Parinaya, a soul-stirring episode from the Mahabharata. The last performance was by Shri Laxman Charan Rout and his troupe from Bhadrak. He performed Mahadani Ajigarta from the treatise Ajigarttopakhyana of Pandit Bhimsen Vedapathi. These traditional performances reflecting the cult of Odisha could quench thirst of the art loving peolple of Bhubaneswar.

The dignitaries who graced the occasion were Shri Prafulla Samal, Hon’ble Minister, Tourism & Culture; Shri Rajat Kar, President, All Odisha Pala Association; Shri Sanjeeb Hota, Former State Election Commission; Shri Bipin Bihari Mishra, Ex. Director General of Police; Shri Prasanta Patnaik, President, Odisha Association, Thane; Shri Ashok Kumar Tripathy, Principal Secrertary, Tourism & Culture, Shri Susil Kumar Das, Director, Culture, Dr. Sarat Pujari, President, OSNA and Shri Chitta Ranjan Mallia, Secretary, OSNA. The programme was compered by Dr. Mrutyunjaya Rath.