Around 26 participants joined the Walks and what was starkly beautiful was the special musical performance with flute, tabla and vocals
Bhubaneswar: After a break following the severe cyclonic storm Fani, the only guided heritage tour of the city, Ekamra Walks, resumed with the 72nd Monks, Caves & Kings at the historic Udaygiri and Khandagiri with its famous Jain monuments.
Saturday, there were 26 participants and a special musical performance with flute, tabla and vocal was another attraction besides the stories on the emperors, rulers, monks and the people of the ancient Kalinga, who at a point of time had an envious empire built with seer heroics, hard work.
Asit Mohapatra, a visually challenged boy with a gift to play flute, was also an attraction as he did a wonderful recital with the jugalbandi of tabla and the vocal artist.
Urja, a participant, from the City of Temples and who has completed her Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Miranda House in Delhi University, said, “Religion having an overwhelming influence over the beautiful architecture has become the hallmark at the Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves and I really enjoyed the heritage trail.”
She added that though in the past she had come to the Twin Hills on several occasions, the experience through Ekamra Walks (Monks, Caves and Kings) would remain as a special thing in her memory and the guide has done a good job by explaining everything from the history to sociological point of view and also man-animal conflicts in and around the city in the past and in the present context.
The DU student also added that the new merchandises and bookmarks are lovely and adorable ones. “I will also tell all my friends from Bhubaneswar to join and explore the heritage tours under Ekamra Walks. I am going to join the Old Town Circuit tomorrow,” she added.
Dora Heng, from Singapore, who works as an intern with the IMAGE institute of Odisha University of Agriculture Technology termed the experience as “wonderful.”
Laxmidhar Parida, another participant, from Cuttack, who joined the heritage walk for the second time, said, “The Ekamra Walks has given a wonderful platform for the city to showcase its historic and monumental best to the world through the weekend tours.” A journalist in Chhattisgarh, Laxmidhar also added that more and more locals should join the Ekamra Walks.
Koyal, another participant, said that the showcasing of the city’s historic and architectural wonders through Ekamra Walks has been attracting travellers and it would also put the city in the world map of heritage walkers as the trend has already started across the globe.
Captions
Participants during the Walks, Saturday
Religion having an overwhelming influence on the beautiful architecture has become the hallmark at the Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves and I really enjoyed the heritage trail
- Urja| participant
The Ekamra Walks has given a wonderful platform for the city to showcase its historic and monumental best to the world
- Laxmidhar Parida| participant