Pala and daskathia artistes perform at Rabindra Mandap in Bhubaneswar. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, July 20: A heavy downpour on Thursday failed to dampen the spirits of pala and daskathia lovers in the capital.

Many people turned up at the Rabindra Mandap to celebrate the ancient tradition of ballads in Odisha. They enjoyed the music of cymbals and dhols and songs that spoke of mythological tales.

The event began with a daskathia performance by artistes from Ganjam district, Balakrushna Mishra and Kunjabihari Das. Their performance was based on the story of Lord Krishna coming to the rescue of his devotee.

The ballad presented in a conversational manner, also praised the adventures of Lord Hanuman.

“I enjoyed the recital. Initially, I was reluctant to come here thinking that I would not understand a thing. But the energy of the performers and style of storytelling changed my perception. I hope we get to see more such performances in future,” said Keshari Sahoo, a college student.

Next was a pala performance by Shantilata Sahu from Jagatsinghpur district. She performed on various mythological episodes.

The evening concluded with the performance of Yudhistir Parija, a well-known pala artiste from Balianta. He presented a debate Shreshta Kiye, meaning the best one. It is a theme discussed in many ancient texts.

“These songs have mythological pretexts but actually discuss moral and social issues. Pala artistes have survived many years of struggle. Though they are still respected in rural areas, events and festivals of this kind are significant in promoting the art form in cities and urban areas,” said Parija.

Culture minister Prafulla Samal inaugurated the three-day festival. Officials of Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi and Odisha tourism were also present.