Date: 15 to 17 March 2019
Venue: India gate

Orissa is still alien for people up north. The religious folks may be aware of Puri, courtesy the glory of Lord Jagannath. However Orissa has lots more to offer than that. Perhaps to make up for such isolation, the Odisha Parba 2019 at India Gate lawns got big and better this year.

The Odisha Parba, or Orissa Festival was held in an enclosed area. The temporary boundary walls were pleasingly decorated with the famous paintings called Patachitra from Raghurajpur, Orissa. The two day event drew enormous footfall and that included officials and ministers. Given the security screening, there were queues at the entry gates when we reached the last evening. However, the lines moved fast and when we entered we could see why the festival was such a hit.

The first thing that drew our attention was the lyrical sound of cymbals played by musicians with artists from Orissa singing classical paeans to Lord Jagannath.  In another corner, dancers wearing feathered headgear were playing tribal drums. In some time, the grand dame of Odissi dance Sonal Mansingh performed on the huge stage built in the area. This was a culture jamming in the most unconventional manner.

Such a medley doesn’t come as a surprise since Orissa has traditional riches beyond imagination. Given that the history of this state dates back to when it was called Kalinga under Emperor Ashok , Orissa has a rich classical heritage with not only Hindu but Buddhist as well as Jain overtones. Concurrently, Orissa is home to many tribes of India and many of them have retained their unique cultural traditions.

Various installations in the festival area reflected the gorgeous Patachitras, stone carvings and temple decorations of Orissa. Consequently, the fairground looked like an Indian fairyland. One section of the fair had handloom and handicraft stalls and we saw a variety or Ikat and other weaves on display. There were stalls selling Patachitras and paper mache masks in Patachitra style. Textiles from Kotpad in Orissa displayed various interesting motifs such as turtles and scorpions woven on fabrics. This clearly reflected how nature was deeply woven in the cultural heritage of Orissa.

Last but not the least; the festival had one of the most elaborate food courts we have seen in recent times. Everything from Jagannath Deb’s prasad, to the famous Khaja sweets of Puri was available. We loved the smoked cheese dessert – Chhana Poda that we have tried on earlier occasions too. There were many stalls selling Oriya food thalis comprising vegetarian as well as meat and fish items. One the most popular items here was the Dahi Vada topped with Aloo Dum or Ghugni. Almost every stall carried this item. After the initial awkwardness given the unusual combination, this dish grew on us. We also tried the Oriya avatar of Gol Gappe or what they call Gup-Chup. The Gup-Chup was only the atta variety and the dipping water was less sour than what we are used to in Delhi. It was a refreshing change.

The event was most engaging and we did not how we spent almost 2 hours here. The music and dance, crafts and food of course made it a complete experience. It is a must-do except that parking could be a pain so one is perhaps better off with public transport.  Notwithstanding, Odisha Parba 2019 was worth the trouble and we look forward to the next edition.