Bhubaneswar, Feb. 29: The Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi has started the process of digitising old records to preserve the classical dance and music tradition of the state for future reference.

The academy run by the state government is converting all cassettes and VHS tapes into DVDs. Around 166 discs have already been created.

The old records contain recordings of a number of cultural events held across the state over the past 30 years. There are around 150 cassettes and over 200 VHS tapes in store of the academy.

"These records contain performances by veteran dancers and vocalists. That apart, they are also helpful for showcasing the various postures of Odissi dance demonstrated by dance gurus over the years. So, it had become extremely necessary to preserve them in a way that could be used by the future generation," said Akademi secretary Dhira Mallick.

The records are also testimony to a number of Odissi music and patterns of playing traditional musical instruments prevalent in the state. A number of folk art performances by rural cultural groups have been recorded in the documents, along with Odissi music recitals on chhanda and champu.

A committee comprising members of Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi, Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre and the state culture department was formed a few months ago where a decision to archive old records were taken.

"The cassettes and VHS tapes had started gathering fungus and dust. So, taking corrective measures at the earliest was the need of the hour," said Mallick.

The entire project will be completed in a month and a private audio company has been involved for the purpose. Copies of the DVDs have been stored in the library of the academy and will also be stored in the Odisha State Archives for research scholars.

The DVDs will be made available to the public shortly after everything is ready. One can buy copies of the same from music shops and government cultural centres as well.

The academy is also working on documenting the cultural festivals of the last two decades.

"The archiving process has recently taken a backseat. Along with working on digitisation of past records, we will also work on documenting the important cultural events digitally held in the recent times," said Mallick.

The Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre is also archiving all the cultural festivals and events conducted by the government across the state in audio, video and written format.

"Odissi music and dance have been evolving over the years. So, the aim is to keep a track of its reform till the present day," said Jagannath Kuanr, chief executive of the centre.