Rourkela: The 26th Vedyas Sangeet Nrutyotsav, a five-day-long dance and music extravaganza, will begin from November 1. Vedyas Sangeet Nrutyotsav has always stuck to this date of commencement so far. Speaking to the media, Radhakrushna Mohaptra, general secretary of Bhanja Kala Kendra, an organisation devoted to popularisation of Odia dance and music, informed that the schedule of the five-day-long programme remained unchanged. “The first two days will be dedicated to dance and music. However, the third day will host ‘Odissi Brunda Gayana’, Hindustani Vocal, and Odissi Vocal. Then it will be again a mix of music and dance for the rest two days,” informed Mohapatra.
Answering another question about marquee artists of this year, he said, “This year we are fortunate to have the performance of famed Kuchipudi danseuse Padmashree Dr. Padmaja Reddy on stage. Other artistes are Ustad Waseem Ahmed Khan, Keshav Yadav and above all Ileana Citaristi.” Mohapatra added that the presence of Reddy “is a great morale booster for us”. About promoting the hidden local art forms and artistes, he said there was one performer from Bargarh. “We are getting Rajesh Kumar Guria and his group from Bargarh on stage and they will perform a vanishing dance form. We are committed to promoting such artistes and bringing them to the forefront. We pay them and also take care of everything here. In fact, after performing here at the festival many have shot to national and international fame and are doing really well.
One of the best examples is the group of Keshav Yadav from Chattisgarh. They performed here 15 years back and today the group is a sought-after name and they are performing at major festivals regularly. In a way, this festival has not only helped them gain name and fame but also given a new lease of life to their art forms.” The total budget of the event for this year is over Rs 15 lakh. It has got sponsors in “EZCC, SBI, RSP, and some private entities who do not want to be named,” informed Mohapatra.