Mayurbhanj Mahotsav to Commence on December 6; First Preparatory Meeting Held Baripada to Come Alive with 10 Days of Colourful Cultural Celebrations

Baripada (Dr.Gour Das Giri): Mayurbhanj district has a distinct identity for its rich art, culture and traditions. The Mayurbhanj Mahotsav is a unique initiative aimed at promoting, preserving and showcasing this glorious cultural heritage. The festival is entering its ninth edition this year and will be held from December 6 to 16. The announcement was made at the first preparatory meeting of the 9th Mayurbhanj Mahotsav, held on Sunday at Swastik Mandap in Baripada under the chairmanship of Asit Pati, Chairman of the Mayurbhanj Mahotsav Organising Committee. As in previous years, the festival will begin on December 6 with a grand Carnival Show, featuring artists from different parts of the district. The carnival will proceed from the local Jagannath Temple to the historic Chhau Padia, with artists performing traditional dances and songs along the route. The main festival will be held for 10 days from December 7 at the historic Chhau Padia in Baripada. Cultural programmes will be organised every evening, featuring renowned artists from the film and music industry. The organisers informed that celebrated Bollywood singer Anuradha Paudwal and popular playback singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya will headline the concluding day's programme and enthral the audience with their performances. Special emphasis will also be placed on the rich tribal heritage of Mayurbhanj, one of Odisha's predominantly tribal districts. The organising committee has decided to dedicate three days to special tribal cultural programmes. In addition, there will be three days of Odia cultural programmes and two days of Kudumali-language programmes. The final two days will feature colourful performances by Bollywood stars, informed General Secretary Kalinga Keshari Jena. This year's festival will also facilitate cultural exchange between Mayurbhanj and other districts, providing artists from different regions an opportunity to showcase and share their artistic traditions. More than 200 stalls will be set up at the festival, showcasing Mayurbhanj's handicrafts, cottage industries, toys, garments, household products and other locally produced items. Visitors will also have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of traditional delicacies, including the popular Mudi-Mansa, along with other local cuisines. Organising Committee President Krishnananda Mohanty said that colourful cultural programmes would be held every day from 5 pm to 10 pm. Keeping in view the growing enthusiasm among the younger generation, a special selfie zone will also be created this year. The zone will showcase nostalgic memories and glimpses of the old Mayurbhanj, similar to last year's initiative. As in previous years, district-level football and archery (Lakh Bindha) competitions will also be organised, with attractive prize money. The preparatory meeting was attended by several prominent personalities, including former MLA Bijay Nayak, Baripada Bar Association President Jyoti Prakash Rath, Mayurbhanj Contractors' Association President Paresh Mahanta, Bibhup Prasad Das, Sanjeev Dwivedi, Surath Pattnaik, Sabita Hansda, Chandra Kumar, Shyamlendu Das, senior businessman Murari Sharma, Bishwajit Nayak, Sourav Pattnaik, Kabu Tripathy, Narottam Panigrahi and Tapas Padhi, among others. According to Satyajit Som, spokesperson of the Mahotsav Committee, more than 300 men and women from different parts of Mayurbhanj district attended the preparatory meeting. If you want, I can also �⁠make this shorter and sharper in a News18/ANI/Press Trust of India-style news format.