Agartala: Colourful traditional dances, performance of songs and music marked the ‘Odisha festival’ to commemorate the ‘Utkal Divas’ was celebrated at the Tripura capital.
‘Utkal Divas’ is celebrated on April 1 every year to observe the formation of Odisha state from the combined Bengal-Bihar-Orissa province. It was on this day in 1936, Odisha was separated from the combined state to become a separate state with Oriya-speaking people.
Sponsored by the Odisha and Tripura governments, Odia Samaj Tripura, organised the ‘Odisha Festival,’ which was inaugurated by the Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar by lighting lamp at the Nazrulkala Sethre in presence of other dignitaries.
The Chief Minister also released a magazine and felicitated Oriya people working in the state for their outstanding performances.
Back in 2011 the festival started in Tripura to disseminate the rich and traditional art, culture, literature of Odisha to the other parts of the country and is expected to bridge the people of different regions.
The attraction in the festival is the internationally acclaimed dances of Orissa like – Sambalpuri folk dance and Odissi dance.
The hall was tight packed with audience and both the young and aged people enjoy the dances and the rhythm of the music.
Most of the viewers expressed that they had enjoyed this unique programme and said that more such functions should take place to unite the people of various regions through cultural exchanges.
Meantime, the local artists also viewed that they have enjoyed presenting their show as well as learned many new things. (ANI)