Thirty endangered folk art forms from different districts of Odisha were showcased at the folk art festival ‘Lok Ranjani – Ama Kala Ama Asmita’, organised at Rabindra Mandap in Bhubaneswar on Friday.
The festival was organised by the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi under the aegis of the Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department, with an aim to promote, preserve and document Odisha’s traditional folk arts.
30 endangered folk art forms showcased
The event featured a diverse range of folk performances, including Ghoda Nacha, Ranapa dance, Dhumpa music, Bathudi Chhau, Patara Saura Danda, Krishna Leela, Geetkudia, Jodi Nagara, Sanchar, Sakhinata, Kendarageeta, Badaghumura, Mahari dance, Karam Sani, Oshakothi, Bharat Leela, Desia Nata, Singhbaja, Manisha Bagha, Khanjani, Ghuduki, Ram Leela, Dhanakoila, Chadhei Nacha, Radha Prem Leela, Sahijata, Jhumar, Krishnaguru and Lankapodi.
The Akademi also undertook documentation of the traditional art forms showcased during the programme.
Folk arts are Odisha’s identity: Culture Minister
Odisha Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj attended the event as the chief guest and congratulated the participating artists.
He said Odisha’s folk arts are a source of pride and an important part of the state’s cultural identity. The traditions reflect Odisha’s culture and heritage and have been passed down through generations.
The Minister appreciated the role of artists in preserving, promoting and popularising endangered folk art forms. He said efforts should continue to take Odisha’s rich folk traditions to younger generations and create a distinctive identity for the state’s folk arts at the national and international levels.
He also said the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi and artists would work towards achieving these objectives.
‘Lok Ranjani’ book unveiled
Folk art groups that participated in the festival from different districts were felicitated by the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi.
A book titled ‘Lok Ranjani’, based on Odisha’s folk arts, was also unveiled during the programme.
Ekamra MLA Babu Singh, Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department Secretary Dr Vijay Ketan Upadhyay, Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi Secretary Dr Chandra Sekhar Hota, Odisha Lalit Kala Akademi Secretary Dr Debayani Bhuyan, culture researcher Niranjan Panda and Dr Jyotirmay Nayak were among those present.
Focus on revival of endangered folk traditions
The Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi has been undertaking various initiatives for the revival, promotion and preservation of endangered folk arts.
These include state-wide programmes featuring folk theatre, folk music, folk dance and traditional instruments, as well as training younger generations through the guru-shishya tradition.
The Akademi is also supporting the preservation of folk traditions through initiatives such as Kalakar Gaurav Nidhi and the Lok Ranjani programme.
