Baripada: Chaitra Parva-Chhau festival is synonymous with the rich art and culture tradition of Mayurbhanj district. The festival is celebrated with a lot of pomp every year before the Maha Visubha Sankranti day in association with the district administration.
However, the art connoisseurs are uncertain over the celebration of the festival this year due to the code conduct of elections.
Citing the violation of code of conduct, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Niti Ranjan Sen recently intimated Mayurbhanj Collector Vineet Bhardwaj not to allow the festival being celebrated.
Dates of April 11, 12 and 13 have fixed earlier for Chhau Parva to be held at Chhau ground in Baripada. But the Deputy Chief Electoral Officer’s letter to the Collector has left the organisers and hundreds of art lovers fumed.
The members of Uttara Sahi Chhau Nrutya Pratishthan and Dakshina Sahi Nritya Mandir have expressed their dissatisfaction over the move of the district administration not to allow the organising committee to hold the festival.
They alleged that if the administration denied the permission to hold Chhau Parva this year, it would hurt the sentiment of art lovers.
During 2014 general elections, the festival was celebrated when the code of conduct was already in force. “If the festival was allowed at that time, why not this year,” they asked.
They alleged that the age old tradition linked to cultural heritage of this district would be breached for the first time in the name of code of conduct.
It was decided at a meeting with the officials of the District Culture Department that no political guests would be invited for the festival.
The members of two Chhau groups Wednesday called a press meet to brief about the administration’s move. “As the district administration is distancing itself from holding the festival, there is uncertainty,” said president, Dakshina Sahi Chhau Nrutya Mandir Krushnachandra Das and president, Uttar Sahi Chhau Nrutya Pratishthan Dillip Kumar Mishra.
Later, a delegation of both the groups led by Chhau dancer Ladukeswar Rana met Collector Vineet Bhardwaj and urged that the age old tradition should not be sacrificed just in the name of code of conduct.
Following Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Neeti Ranjan Sen’s letter to the Collector, the District Culture office in its letter intimated both the committees and other officials about the cancellation of Chhau Parva.
The residents of the district and hundreds of art lovers have objected to the administration’s move, terming it an onslaught on the cultural heritage of the district.
Among others Dakshina Sahi Chhau Nrutya Mandir secretary Karttikeswar Rana, former president of Dakshina Sahi Chhau Nrutya Mandir,Ganeswar Rana and joint secretary, Uttar Sahi Chhau Nrutya Pratishthan Lokanath Das were present in the press meet.
PNN