Bhubaneswar: With Netaji Jayanti drawing to a close January 23, the city’s most popular street festival Patha Utsav which was conducted Sunday celebrated and remembered the state freedom fighters.
On the occasion the popular Kansa of Bargarh’s 11-day Dhanu Yatra festival showcased his theatricality. The king Kansa ordered the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to do more development work.
All the participants including the Rangoli designers created designs based on the theme of sacrifices made by the revolutionaries to help India achieve independence in 1947. Patriotic songs were also rendered by artistes to make it an affair worth remembering.
Enforcement Member and Nodal Officer of Patha Utsav in Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), Bhabani Shankar Chayani said, “Odisha has made huge contributions to the freedom struggle movement and we have many heroes who inspired others with their deeds. Patha Utsav is the perfect backdrop to remember the great sons of the soil, just before the Netaji Jayanti celebrations.”
Artist Debi Prasad Rout drew portraits of the prominent freedom fighters of Odisha while Lipsa of DPR Art Institute conducted story-telling sessions on the theme.
It may be worth mentioning here that artist BK Debata and his troupe will conduct a stage show on the occasion of Pushpuni Bhet, which would be staged January 27 by Paschim Kiran Kutum, an organisation to promote the glorious traditions of the state’s culture and heritage. A Dhanu Yatra on the lines of Bargarh would also be staged on this occasion at Utkal Mandap.
The Dhanu Yatra, which is the theatrical enactment of the mythological tale of Lord Krishna, will see Bargarh town adorn the guise of Mathura Nagari, while Ambapalli has been decked up as Gopapura to witness the Krishna Leela. The Bargarh town or the Mathura Nagari has been the capital city of Kansa’s kingdom while Hatapada will be the tyrant king’s Royal Court. The Rangmahal has been set up at the Lokmandap ground of Nishamani school.
Meanwhile, city’s colleges’ bands performed some chartbusters including the popular Rangabati song.
Patha Utsav honours freedom fighters
