Girls participate in a rural women’s sports competition. Picture by Gopal Krishna Reddy j

Berhampur, Oct. 22: It was a double treat for 15 young girls who excelled in traditional rural sports competition including khapara dian, daudi dian, puchi and thia puchi yesterday as they all danced to the tunes of a song Thia puchi naranga, goda deita sarangaat the Town Hall here just like professional dancers today.

“Such feats are is possible only in Berhampur, which has gifted youngsters with enormous talents.

The girls who secured positions in traditional rural sports and never danced earlier can also do it like professionals with minimum coaching on the stage in front of distinguished guests. We have experimented it for the first time in Berhampur,” said Hrushikesh Panigrahi and his wife Sudipta. They are a renowned anchor couple of the state. The traditional rural sports competition was organised by Madhusudan Panigrahi at Berhampur Stadium on October 19 and a cultural extravaganza ‘Kunara punei janha lo’.today

Thia puchi naranga, goda deita saranga, a dance depicting the life style of the girls in Orissa, was choreographed by Harihar Dash and Sugyani Kumari Acharya, a disciple of Odissi Guru Kanduri Charan Behera.

“It took us three days to teach the steps to the 15 girls who secured positions in the rural sports competition and they really danced to perfection,” said Harihar and Sugyani. The lyricists were Hrushikesh Panigrahi and Sagar Ranjan Tripathy and recorded at Studio Sangeet Sagar.

The girls who danced to the tune of Thia puchi naranga, goda deita saranga were Minakshi Sahu, Kabita Behera, T. Swapna Patra, Sonakshi Sahu, Mamata Panda and Sudipta Panigrahi.

(all secured positions in ‘khapara dian’), Amita Rani Das, Priyanka Panigrahi and Akanksha (all secured positions in ‘daudi dian’), Sibani Patra, Anipta Panda (secured positions in ‘puchi’), Kabita Behera, Sriyanka Nanda, Priyanka Nanda (secured positions in ‘thia puchi’), said the cultural programme coordinator Mihir Kumar Tripathy.

The Madhusudan Panigrahi Foundation which is spearheading a movement to popularize Oriya literature, upkeep the traditions of art and the rich culture and search hidden talents since last 11-years organized the traditional rural sports competition in its endeavor to give a fresh lease of life to various games which were once familiar in the rural areas and are now on the verge of extinction.

“A total of 40 ladies of different age group participated in the traditional rural sports competition including ‘khapara dian’, ‘daudi dian’, ‘puchi’ and ‘thia puchi’ held at Berhampur Stadium on October 19 last and 15 girls secured positions in different categories”, said Kumari Samhita.

Vice Chancellor of Berhampur University, Jayant Mohapatra Vice Chancellor Berhampur University lauded the efforts to upkeep the traditional rural sports which is dwindling.

City's Municipal Commissioner Bhim Manseth stressed the need to search more hidden talents.