Oram dancers perform at the festival at Utkal Mandap in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, April 4: The third edition of the state-level Folk Dance and Music Festival got off to a great start at Utkal Mandap on Tuesday evening.

Artistes from various districts presented traditional folk art forms.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the festival and announced that the State Museum would soon have exclusive sections dedicated to folk and tribal dance forms and music. The state government will also introduce projects to document these art forms.

The renditions began with a troupe from Ganjam performing sankha dhwani (conch blowing) while making acrobatic formations on stage.

Viewers also got the chance to watch the Ranapa dance wherein performers stand on stilts, and hop and turn to beats of traditional drums.

Gotipua by a team of artistes from the Abhinna Sundar Gotipua Parishad, Raghurajpur, won many hearts.

The team of boys, who seemed passionate about the art, performed mangalacharan to Bandha Nrutya on Dasabatar and showcased colourful stunts.

Nine young women of Adimata Dhemsa group displayed Dhemsa, the tribal dance of Koraput.

Clad in saris, they swayed joyfully to the live music of trumpets and drums.

The synchronised movement of their feet was a joy to watch.

Sankirtan by the troupe, Maa Mangala Sankirtan, from Dhenkanal, was an energetic performance.

The troupe’s sexagenarian lead vocalist and lead mridang player were outstanding.

The Oram community of Sundergarh also presented the ethnic nagara nrutya. The nagara drums and dhun drums were played along with mahuris or trumpets.

Around 28 dancers were together on stage. Of them, five men held fanlike props in one hand and swords in another. They wore colourful ethnic accessories and headgear. Women artistes also wore bright clothes.

Troupes from Cuttack, Angul, Rayagada, Mayurbhanj and Khurdha also performed well. On the second day, there was a wide range of folk dance and music forms such as Dalkhai and Ghoda Nacha.

The three-day festival featuring over 2,000 artistes from all 30 districts ended today.