Ganjam News

Handicraft exhibition brings artisans from 16 states to Berhampur

BERHAMPUR: Artisans from 16 States and different parts of Orissa are taking part in the grand handicrafts festival being held at the St. Stephens' ground in Berhampur city. From the applique-works of Orissa to carpets from Jammu and Kashmir, from brass and bell metals from Uttar Pradesh to leather works from Punjab the Gandhi Silpa Bazaar has them all on display and sale. Around 150 artisans from various states of India have participated in the 10-day fair, which is a platform to display and sell exquisite handicraft items from across the country. It is being organized by the Society for Rural Advancement and Democratic Humanitarian Action (SRADHA) and sponsored by Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), ministry of textile, Central government. SRADHA is holding similar national ‘crafts mela' in the city for the fourth time. “Earlier SRADHA used to organise the All India Crafts Bazar and due to its success this crafts mela is being organised on a grander scale ”, said project coordinator of SRADHA, Chandramani Pradhan. "The Slipa Bazar would encourage the craftsmen to improve their skills and give them a new impetus to work harder," said Mr Pradhan. Some expert artisans will also display their techniques at the fair. Some will also launch new products and designs the organisers informed. Last year similar crafts mela organised in the city by SRADHA had also drawn a large crowd. In 2010, total transaction during the mela was over 90 lakh rupees so there is hope to have a better market this year and total transaction may exceed one crore rupees, said Mr Pradhan. One hundred and fifty artisans are taking part in this large handicraft fair. Most are family units. Both youngsters and the elderly persons of these artisan families have come over to display their skills and sell their products. Like past years there is a large demand for carved wood furniture from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh and carpets from Kashmir. There is ample display of colourful dress materials, bangles and other decorative items for women that range from bangles from Muradabad to hand woven pattu sarees from different parts of the country. Visitor Pranita Das says she was astonished by the purse friendly price of these attractive handicraft items. “At least we are sure of their genuineness,” she said. The organisers have also instructed the artisans not over price and not to get involved in bargaining with customers. This fair has something for everyone, said Wasim Ahmed, a wood carver from Saharanpur who is participating in this festival.

Source: The Hindu, Times of India

First convocation ceremony of project Gyandeep held in Army Air Defence College

First convocation ceremony of project Gyandeep of ‘Army Air Defence' was held at the Army Air Defence College (AADC), near Berhampur.

Associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates of merit were awarded to 521 serving soldiers of ‘Army Air Defence College' during the ceremony by Lt. Gen Kuldip Singh, commandant of the AADC. For project Gyandeep, Indian army and Indira Gandhi National Open University had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). It was aimed at empowering the soldiers through education and to provide them opportunity for second career option. This project also provides recognition to the education undertaken by a soldier during his service in the army. The MoU with IGNOU also enables educational certification of soldiers within the parameters laid down for community colleges. It also recognizes the in-service training taken up by the soldiers. All regimental centres of Indian Army have been registered as community colleges under Project Gyandeep.

These Army-IGNOU community colleges including the one at AADC function as autonomous bodies. In 1979, Government of India sanctioned the establishment of Air Defence and Guided Missile School and Centre at Gopalpur, which was inaugurated on Oct 30, 1984 by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. This school became fully functional in November 1989. This institute has now been rechristened AADC. Majority of the medium and short range weapons used for air defence by the Indian army including surface to air missiles are fired at the firing range of the AADC.

Courtesy: The Hindu  

Naveen promises Unitary University status for Khallikote College

BERHAMPUR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, while addressing a gathering on the occasion of the annual function of the Khalikote Autonomous College, stated that the longstanding expectation of the local people to make the college a Unitary University would be fulfilled very soon. This came in response to the Students’ Union of the college submitting a memorandum to the Chief Minister with 15 demands, including immediate posting of teaching staff, transfer of the OSRTC land to the college and declaration of the college as a Unitary University. Demands were also made by the legislators and parliamentarians from the region present on the occasion to transform 135-year-old Khallikote autonomous college of the city into a unitary university. 
Besides the Chief Minister, state Revenue Minister Surya Narayan Patra, Minister for Higher Education Debi Prasad Mishra, Minister for Mass Education Pratap Jena, Aska MP Nityananda Pradhan, Berhampur MP Siddhant Mohapatra, Berhampur MLA RCC Patnaik, Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahy attended the function. Eminent citizens of the City, local leaders, student bodies including the students' union of the College demanded the Chief Minister to initiate the process to make this historic Institution a unitary university.
Source: The Pioneer, The Hindu

Berhampur plays host to National Telugu meet

• The first five conferences were held in Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai and Chennai before it was decided to organise the sixth one in Berhampur, which, along with the neighboring southern Orissa regions, has a sizeable Telugu population.Around 40 per cent population of Berhampur, located close to Andhra Pradesh and once part of erstwhile Madras Presidency, are Telugu speaking.
• Naveen Patnaik mentions names of V.V. Giri, Kota Harinarayan Rao and U.Lakshmana Rao as worthy sons of Berhampur.
• Former prime minister P V Narsimha Rao won the Berhampur Lok Sabha constituency in 1996.

BERHAMPUR: An initiative to make the Telugu-speaking people, who are residing outside Andhra Pradesh, to interact and know about their language, literature and culture has brought the community’s annual meet to Berhampur in Orissa. The sixth all-India Telugu conference was inaugurated in the city yesterday. It is being organised jointly by Poti Sriramulu Telugu University, Mandali Venkat Krishna Rao (MVKR) International Telugu Centre of Andhra Pradesh in coordination with Andhra Bhashabivardhini Samajam Berhampur and other Telugu organisations of Orissa. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who inaugurated the conference, hoped that the conference would strengthen the cultural ties between the two states. “Orissa, the land of Lord Jagannath, advocates equality for all. The Telugu community in Orissa, especially in the southern region have contributed significantly to the economic and cultural growth of our state. Today there are many households in Orissa who celebrate both Oriya and Telugu festivals with equal enthusiasm. Berhampur being in the forefront and contributed significantly in developing the blend of culture,” he said. Delivering the inaugural address at the thee-day AITC at the City High School Grounds, he said Berhampur alone had contributed great leaders like the former President of India, V.V. Giri, Russian language expert Uppala Lakshmana Rao and aerospace scientist Kota Harinarayana, are among the Telugus of Berhampur who have left an indelible mark in the national scene and made Berhampur and Orissa proud, he noted..“ About 50 per cent of the 16 crore Telugu people live outside Andhra Pradesh and there are 40 lakh of them in Orissa who are contributing to its economy and culture,” he said, adding that it was only appropriate that the conference was being held in Orissa. Naveen lauded the organisers for holding the conference outside AP and trying to bring all Telugu-speaking on one platform. Andhra Pradesh Principal Secretary of Tourism and Culture, S. Chellappa, announced that the State would release Rs.10 lakh to Prakasam Pantulu Hall of Andhra Bhashabhivardhani Samajam in Berhampur. He also invited Telugu scholars and personalities from Berhampur to participate in the World Telugu Conference to be held in Tirupati this year. The function was chaired by Vice-Chancellor of PSTU A. Bhoomaiah. Earlier, organising committee chairman P. Satyanarayana welcomed the gathering.

Source: The Telegraph & The Hindu

Silk city Berhampur gets new park for children

BERHAMPUR: The Biju Patnaik Sishu Udyan, situated at the Courtpeta Square here, was formally opened for public today by the state urban development minister Badri Narayan Patra. The Berhampur Development Authority (BDA) is managing the Biju Patnaik Sishu Udyan constructed at a cost of Rs 21.74 lakh said chairman of the BDA, Kailash Rana. “Though it is a children’s park, is not meant for the use of children only. People of all age groups can visit the park. No entry fee for the Biju Patnaik Sishu Udyan Park would be charged,” he said. The park, spread over three acres of land, will be maintained by the Berhampur Development Authority. In 2001, the Berhampur Municipal Corporation demolished a shopping complex at the spot, which was constructed illegally by a private party. However, it took about 10 years for the authority to develop the spot as a park. “The locality did not have any parks. We had to go to a park at Corporation Road, which is about 6-km away. So, we were eagerly awaiting for the park. But, we are not happy with the present infrastructure at the park,” said Bunti and Bobblu, both students of Class V in Xavier School, Berhampur. We have to play cricket and badminton on roads at Bidya Nagar. If the park develops it further, we would be able to play outdoor games there,” they said. Nehru Park at Hillpatna, situated on the Railway Station Road and maintained by the Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BMC), provides a section for the children. But the equipments at the park are considerably damaged. Nehru Park is one of the oldest park in Berhampur which was constructed when Chandra Sekhar Sahu was trhe chairman of the Berhampur Municipal Corporation. “On the other hand, the Biju Patnaik Park at Corporaton Road, spread over seven acres of land, is maintained by the Berhampur Development Authority. It has a musical fountain, a floating mountain, a beautiful landscape and boating facilities for children. Local people frequently visit this park to spend their evenings. There is a nominal entry fee for visitors. But entry is free for children below five years,” sources said. The BDA is planning to develop another park at Bedabandha in Gosaninuagaon at an estimated cost of Rs 3 crore. “We would provide boating facility there and it would be a big park,” said the BDA chairman.

Source: The Telegraph

Preparations in full swing for national Telugu conference in Berhampur

Naveen Patnaik, his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and Union Minister S. Jaipal Reddy to attend the conference

BERHAMPUR: Preparations are in full swing for the sixth all-India Telugu conference to be held in Berhampur city from February 4. The conference is being organised jointly by Poti Sriramulu Telugu University, Mandali Venkat Krishna Rao (MVKR) International Telugu Centre of Andhra Pradesh in coordination with Andhra Bhashabivardhini Samajam and other Telugu organisations of Berhampur and Orissa. The three-day conference will be held at City High School grounds. Some 1,000 delegates from all over the country are expected to attend the conference. On Sunday, coordinator of the national conference D. Muniratnam Naidu arrived in the city to monitor the preparations. An office for the conference was opened on the premises of the samajam complex. Secretary of the local organising committee R. Suryanarayana said the inaugural ceremony would be attended by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, Union Minister S. Jaipal Reddy and others.

Source: The Hindu

Comprehensive Development Plan for Berhampur on the anvil

Berhampur Municipal Corporation will soon have its own master plan after a gap of four decades. The Town and Country Planning Organisation (TCPO) under Union Urban Development Ministry is preparing a comprehensive development plan (CDP) for the proposed ‘Greater Berhampur’ mooted by Orissa government which is likely to be ready in next few months. The CDP for Greater Berhampur would comprise a total area of 317 square km which is expected to have a population of close to one million. The present CDP is being prepared keeping in view the development of greater Berhampur till the year 2031. The area under greater Berhampur will include the urban centres of Berhampur, Gopalpur and Chatrapur and some adjoining villages between them.

Source: Dharitri, BMC, Urban Orissa

Autos to hit newer areas in Berhampur soon

BERHAMPUR: The residents of Berhampur will soon get to enjoy autorickshaw services that will be introduced in select routes across the city. The Berhampur Development Authority (BDA) has conducted a survey and identified eight routes for the plying of autorickshaws. “The BDA is very much interested to implement the scheme. Though no specific date has been finalised to launch the scheme, we are planning to convene a meeting with the office bearers of the autorickshaw drivers/owners association soon,” said BDA secretary Sangram Sekhar Panda.“The BDA would provide parking slots for these autorickshaws at New Bus Stand, Old Bus Stand and other important places. No unlicensed autorickshaws would be allowed,” said Panda. The routes identified for the auto service are Railway Station to New Bus Stand via Kamapalli, Aska Road First Gate to New Bus Stand via Gate Bazar, Railway Station to New Mango Market via Bijipur Tank Road-Gandhi Nagar-Sub Registrar Office-Prem Nagar and Andhapasara Road, Railway Station to Sub Registrar Office via Khaspa Sahi and Haradakhandi, Aska Road First Gate to Courtpeta Junction via Big Bazar-Sana Bazar-Corporation Road-Gate Bazar Junction-City Hospital Road-Utkal Ashram Road-Tata Benz Square-Kamapalli and Courtpeta, Amabapua to New Bus Stand via Courtpeta, Luchapada to Haladiapadar via Gate Bazar Junction-City Hospital Road-Bijipur Tank Road-Gosaninuagaon and Haldiapadar, Courtpeta Junction to Engineering School Square via Kamapalli-Railway Over Bridge-Jail Road-Lanjipalli main road-Industrial Estate and Engineering School Square, according to BDA sources. At present, about 400 autorickshaws are plying in the city out of which 100 autos will be a part of the regulated auto service plan. These autos would be painted in a different colour to have a distinct look. They would run from 5.30am to 1.30 pm and again 2pm to 10pm, BDA sources said. The minimum fare would be Rs 5 and the maximum Rs 15. The name of the routes and the numbers of the autorickshaws would be displayed in hoardings at different places along the eight routes. The auto service in the city at present is not organised. The operators of autorickshaws that run on petrol have organised themselves and formed Berhampur Auto Tempo Chalaka Sangha (BATCS). They park at old bus stand, near the new bus stand and near the railway station.

Source: The Telegraph

Ganjam folk culture at its festive best

Blowing conch shells, 20 folk dancers from Ganjam took part in CWG opening ceremony and won distant hearts

BERHAMPUR: Folk art is on a roll. With cultural festivals being staged all over the state, the spotlight is back on folk artistes. The most sought dance in almost all the festivals is jodi sankh dhwani (twin conch blowing) from Ganjam district. Since blowing of the conch is auspicious at the beginning of any event, all festival committees are inviting conch blowers from Ganjam. Blowing of ‘jodi sankha’ was very much a part of the ‘Rhythm of India’ part of the Common Wealth Games opening ceremony. Besides blowing the twin conch, the blowers, attired in saffron, dance to the rhythm of changu and mahuri. There are around 200 groups comprising more than 1,500 conch blowers. They are also invited to festivals outside the state. "After staging our dances at Keonjhar Mahostav, which kicked off on Tuesday, we will be heading for Delhi on Thursday to participate in another festival," said Tulu Raula of Gayatri Jugala Sankh Dhwani of Tanganapalli village. Besides conch blowing, a dozen-member group from Tanganapalli will stage ranapa, chadeya and dandia, other popular folk dances from Ganjam, at the Mayurbhanj Mahotsav. Members of Subhashree Folk Dance Kala Kendra, Narendrapur, who performed at Paraba, the annual cultural festival of Koraput on Monday, is preparing to go to Delhi to participate at the trade fair in the first week of next month. Apart from Parab, the troupe also showcased its artistry at the Puri Beach Festival, Bargarh Dhanu Yatra, Bolgarh Festival in Nayagarh, Nirakarapur Utsav in the last one month, said its leader Rajendra Patra. Patra, who started his career in folk dance at the age of nine, has performed in eight countries. He has visited Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Dubai in 1995 and in 2000 he went to Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore. “I was very fortunate to have been a part of Bhagaban Sahu’s group for 25 years,” said Patra, who formed his own troupe five years after the death of Bhagaban Sahu. “The activities of the folk artistes in Narendrapur attracted me towards this form of art since my childhood,” said Patra, who is a graduate.Source: Times of India & The Telegraph

‘Mahanagar Mahotsav' comes to an end

BERHAMPUR: The week long ‘Mahanagar Mahotsav' concluded in the city with a record 400 artistes from 11 organisations taking part in the cultural programme on the last day. This cultural festival was held at the Khallikote autonomous college stadium to promote local cultural talents. It also included a trade fair. On the concluding evening a seminar was held on the topic ‘need for the formation of a special south Orissa development council'. The speakers of this seminar advocated the need for unity among the people and organisations of south Orissa. “Without this unity the voice of south Orissa is not being heard by the government machinery”, they alleged. A long cultural show that continued till night started after the seminar. A large crowd had gathered to enjoy the performances by local artists. There were many budding artists who performed on stage for the first time in their life. Troupes from cultural organisations of the city like Anwesha, Murchhna, Jhumar, Jatiya Sangeet Kala Kendra, Pranaya Dance group etc enthralled the audience. Magician S.Kumar provided a different flavour to the show with his mind boggling tricks on stage. The artists were overjoyed with the response of the audience. Local artists of Greater Berhampur, which includes the Silk City, Gopalpur and Chatrapur, excelled in the Mahanagar Mahotsav, which was held on the Khallikote College ground here for the first time. “Though the recently concluded Gopalpur Beach Festival and the Ganjam Mahotsav at Berhampur gave ample chance to artistes from across the state and beyond to showcase their talents, many budding local artistes are still deprived of a platform to display their skills. Our sole aim is to highlight these local artists,” said Gopal Patnaik, secretary of Mahanagar Mahotsav Organising Committee.

Apart from cultural programmes, the organisers held discussions on separate topic concerning local issues on each day. The topics discussed on various days included “A review on the formation of Greater Berhampur”, “The possibilities of the development of tourism sector and preservation of the culture in Ganjam”, “Development of mass education system”, “The expansion of the geographical limits of Berhampur Municipal Corporation and the health services”, “Necessity of a third drinking water project for Berhampur” and “Necessity of Southern Development Council”. The organisers also gave “Bhanja Yuva Samman” to the dancing star Hari Har Das of Berhampur. Ganjam zilla parishad chairman Kamraju Sethi declared that Mahanagar Mahotsav would be organised on January 12, 2012 at the same venue. “We are overwhelmed with the support of the people as well as the local artists,” he said. As Hari Har was unable to present here to receive the award in person he would be awarded the prize later in a convenient date and venue, said the organisers. Such award would be awarded every year to an outstanding youth of the region who has glorified the name of this region in national and international arena. 

Sources: The Hindu, The Telegraph

The Dancing Engineer from Berhampur

Following essay published in the OPEN Magazine (03 January issue) & authored By Sohini Chattopadhyay

A self-taught dancer, Harihar Dash is the boy you can’t take your eyes off in a jazzy new TV commercial. Open traces the unreal career graph of the engineer from Berhampur.

Even if you mute AR Rahman’s funk, it is difficult to peel your eyes off the boy in the green shirt. Indeed, you marvel at the pretty young girl’s resolve as she turns away, sadly it has to be said, from that boy with the liquid moves in the new commercial for a telecom service. Such is the spell cast by 25-year-old Harihar Dash, an electronics and telecommunications engineer from the town of Berhampur in Orissa, who has never had a dance lesson in his life. This might well be the unreal life graph of many a reality show contestant in India, from unnoticed-gawky-talentedness to YouTube stardom, but almost none of these shooting stars has made it in the obvious, splashy, impossible-to-ignore way that Dash has.

It all started, as many of these crazy stories do, with a man called Michael Jackson. “Smooth Criminal, I love that song,” says Dash, in confident English that takes me by surprise. Berhampur or not, he could be the fuzzy-haired, capri-clad, indisputably cool boy who lives above my South Delhi apartment. “I started dancing to Smooth Criminal in front of my mirror after my matriculation exams. I love Michael, I like Black and White (sic) too, but Smooth Criminal is my favourite dance number,” he says. “I would dance by myself in front of the mirror. There were no dance schools in Orissa, there still aren’t any probably. And my parents would never pay for dance class.” Dash kept dancing, though, graduating from Michael Jackson to what he calls ‘popping and locking’. “I was crazy for popping and locking,” he says. What’s that, I ask. “They are hip-hop and street dancing moves,” he explains happily, as if I were a particularly attentive student. “I read up a lot on the internet and learnt that popping originated in the 1970s from a man called Sam Soloman who founded a band called the Electric Boogaloos.” In the absence of formal training, Google and YouTube became his gurus. “I saw some Japanese poppers on YouTube. They were awesome. This is a form of dance called animation popping. I watched and downloaded loads of videos, started practising, and realised that I could actually do this stuff.”

Dash’s parents, though, were not impressed. “They wanted me to be a doctor or engineer. I too thought dancing was only a hobby and I’ve always been a serious student. I sat for all the entrance tests, got through and enrolled for a BTech in electronics and telecom at the Biju Patnaik University of Technology,” he says. “I never bunked class,” he adds earnestly, “I worked hard on my studies. I was quite good, actually, and I enjoyed my course. At the time, I thought I would graduate and get a job like my parents expected me to. I danced at college functions. I represented my college at inter-college meets. And for three years in a row, I was university champ. There are more than 80 colleges in the university, so that got me thinking: maybe I could think of doing something with my dance. Some of my friends said I should try out for the reality shows.”

His parents wouldn’t hear of it, though. “They have never supported my dancing,” he says drily, “and they were dead against the idea. Finally, I cut a deal with them. I would try the reality shows for a year and if it didn’t work out, I would get a job. I had to convince them but they agreed.”

“First, I tried out for Dance Premier League on Sony TV. I made it to the east zone final. Next was Dance India Dance, where I was in the top 57. These shows were a good platform but I didn’t make it to the final stages where you really get personal attention from the choreographers and get noticed by the judges. My year was almost up and my parents were asking me to look for a job. Then came the audition call for India’s Got Talent,” he says dramatically.

This, clearly, was the big one. Log on to YouTube, and a search for Harihar Dash will throw up over 200 results. Most of these videos are from his performances on the reality show India’s Got Talent and have registered thousands of ‘views’. “I had been working on my moves when the call came, and by then I had added a crucial element to my dance: Bollywood tadka. I did my popping and locking to the song Mar Jawaan from Fashion, and one-and-a-half-months passed in a blur. I made it to the finals and stood fifth out of nine contestants.” “Before I entered India’s Got Talent, I had five friends on Facebook. Now, I have had to open another account because you can’t have more than 5,000 friends on Facebook. Once, I didn’t check my mail for five days and I had 977 friend requests pending,” he chuckles unselfconsciously.

It was the YouTube videos that got Dash noticed. Adrian Miller, chief creative officer of J Walter Thomson, New Delhi, who made the ad, says, “We knew we wanted a performer for the role, but we weren’t sure what type. We scoured YouTube looking for the right person and we found Dash dancing in India’s Got Talent.” Airtel’s CEO Sanjay Kapoor too noticed Dash on YouTube. “One day, I got a call from a girl from JWT in Delhi who said they wanted me to shoot for an Airtel ad. I had no idea what JWT was, so I looked it up on the internet. I saw their website and realised how big they were. I called back and said yes immediately,” he recounts. “The shot was scheduled for Prague. But I didn’t have a passport and I needed one in two weeks. It was the time of pujas, and all government officials were on leave except the Berhampur SP. I pleaded with him so much that he asked me whether I was a terrorist. But he gave in finally.”

As it happened, Dash actually danced to no music at all. Rahman’s tune was not ready, and bizarre as it sounds, Dash performed in the middle of the street to the music playing in his own head. He was instructed to do a mix of popping and ballet. And he did. “We shot for two days. The wake-up call was for 5:30 am and it was freezing. My costume was just a pair of jeans and a thin green jacket. But when I started dancing, I somehow forgot the cold. But after one day, I asked them to please play some music. Even slow music would do, but it is funny to dance like that, nah?”

Airtel confirms that Dash is the sole Indian to be featured in its rebranding campaign, besides the work of AR Rahman, that is. Dash himself realised this only after he came back and Airtel held a press conference to unveil its new ad splash. “It is big, no?” he asks.

Now, this boy who never attended a dance class in his life is holding a dance workshop, which has had so many people signing up that he’s having to plan another one to accommodate them. And for that, he’s acquired a personal assistant.

Colourful Pongal in Berhampur and south Orissa

BERHAMPUR: Colourful rangoli, traditional bonfire and cultural shows marked the three-day Pongal festival, known as the mother of festivals by Telugu community in Silk City and across south Orissa. The first day of the festival was celebrated as Bhogi. With a sizeable Telugu population in this Orissa-Andhra border city, the festival is celebrated with pomp and gaiety. In some places, Oriyas also joined Telugus to celebrate the festival. "It's is the biggest annual festival of Telugu people and they celebrate it across the country in association with others," said V Satya Narayana. Besides Berhampur, Telugu dominated villages in and around Goplapur, Chhatrapur and Chikiti in Ganjam district celebrate the festival with their counterpart Oriyas. On the eve of Pongal, second day of the three-day festival, people in different localities lit traditional bonfire to mark the Bhogi. Telugu girls decorated their houses with colourful rangolis and staged the cultural shows. Several girls staged Dandia dance at Military Lines in the City in the morning of Bhogi. The girls of different ages staged the Gujarati dance. "We perform Dandia because of we believe Lord Krishnaand Radha like this dance much," said one of the performers. Bhogi is also marked the closing ceremony of Gobbi, amonth-long ritual celebrated by the female folks. Clad in new dresses, Telugus of all age groups greeted each other. They would distribute "pongal" - food prepared with the newly harvested rice, dal, jaggery, dry fruits, sugar and milk on pongal day.
Sources: PTI, OrissaBarta

Mahanagar Mahotsab gets under way

BERHAMPUR: Mahanagar Mahotsab, a cultural festival along with a trade fair, was inaugurated in the city on Wednesday evening. Local artistes of ‘Greater Berhampur’ — comprising the Silk City, Gopalpur and Chatrapur enthralled the audience at the Mahanagar Mahotsav — which was organised in the city for the first time. The week-long festival, being held at the Khallikote stadium is aimed at promoting cultural talents of the city and providing platform for local trading community to showcase their products. But, for a large section of the crowd, who are reaching out to enjoy the festival, it is an entertaining way to spend chilled winter evenings. Variety of stalls of eateries and fast food are also attracting children as well as elders. Every evening of the festival is scheduled to start with intellectual seminar on culture, heritage and burning issues of the Greater Berhampur region. The organisers said that those who performed at the Mahanagar Mahotsav did not get a chance to show their talents at the recent Gopalpur Beach Festival or the Ganjam Mahotsav in Berhampur.

“The recently concluded Gopalpur Beach Festival and the Ganjam Mahotsav showcased art and artistes from different districts and states. But still many budding local artistes could not get a chance. They feel neglected and need a platform to showcase their talents,” said president of the Mahanagar Mahotsav Organising Committee Sudhanshu Sekhar Panda. After clamouring for several years, the people of the region the state government granted municipal corporation status to Berhampur. Except for the change in its nomenclature, there is no other impressive change visible in the structure, said Panda. “Organising Mahanagar Mahotsav at this critical juncture is a step forward to highlight the formation of Greater Berhampur,” he said.“Apart from cultural programmes, we have decided to organise discussion on separate topics concerning local issues on each day to give a regional touch to the festival and remind others to stress on formation of a Greater Berhampur,” said secretary of Mahotsav Organising Committee Gopal Patnaik. The topics to be discussed include review on the formation of Greater Berhampur, potential for development of tourism sector and preservation of local culture, development of mass education system, expansion of the geographical limits of Berhampur Municipal Corporation and the health services, necessity of a third drinking water project for Berhampur and necessity of Southern Development Council. The organisers have also decided to present ‘Bhanja Yuva Samman’ award every year to an outstanding youth of the region who has glorified the name of this region in national and international arena.

Sources: The Hindu, The Telegraph

Berhampur places: Bhanjanagar

Sources: Dharitri, The Samaja, OrissaLinks

Traditional ritualistic inaugural ceremony of the grand new temple dedicated to Goddesses Tara Tarini will be held from March 03-09, 2011. This was decided at a general body meeting of the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB) which was chaired by the State Law and Rural Development Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh. The new temple on the hilltop was built as part of the measures initiated to transform the hill shrine into a major tourist destination of Orissa. The new temple is unique as it is a modern temple completely built adhering to the tenets of ancient Orissan temple architecture. It is a ‘Rekha' style temple and bears intricate carvings. Sculptor Padmavibhusan Raghunath Mohapatra was the master architect of this modern temple built up in ancient form. Its major building material was sandstone which was abundantly used in the ancient temples of Orissa. Construction of the temple started in 2003. According to TTDB secretary Pramod Panda, the finishing work of the construction is on and within next one-and-half months total construction work of the temple will be completed. The new temple has replaced the old temple of colonial era at the hill shrine. The new Rekha style temple at the hill shrine has an elevation of about 68 ft. above the hilltop. So, it is easily visible from places within a radius of 10 km from the shrine. The sandstone slabs used for the construction of the temple were procured from Ganjam and Nayagarh districts. Like the traditional temples, large black granite slabs were used as lintels for the new temple. These black granite slabs were procured from Buguda region of Ganjam district.

TTDB secretary Pramod Panda further said that the work on the new ghat road to the hill top, which is being constructed at a cost of Rs. 5 crores by the Rural Development Department is also scheduled to be completed by the end of February, 2011. Another ring road being constructed around the Tara Tarini hill is also to be completed by the time.

Source: The Hindu