Artistes stage Odia play Dhuan at Shri Satya Sai auditorium in New Delhi. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, April 17: A three-day Odia theatre festival was organised in New Delhi recently. Eminent theatre troupes of Odisha performed at the Shri Satya Sai auditorium. The festival organised by the Institute for Promotion and Research on Odisha Culture and Heritage (Iproch) concluded on Monday.

On the inaugural day, Manana theatre group presented the play Aastha.

It narrated the differences arising between an elderly couple after the husband gets to know that his wife once had an affair with another man. Manoj Pattanayak directed the play.

Jane Raja Thile directed by Asim Basu spoke about a king who misrules his illiterate subjects. A few good men take up the cudgels to usher in good governance. They are able to overthrow the king, but instead of bringing change they continue to do what the earlier ruler did. It sent across the message that power is so tempting, that it corrupts everybody, even a revolutionary. Also staged on the second day was Dhuan by Natya Chetana, which was a scathing take on industrialisation in tribal areas.

Three dramas were staged on the concluding day. Nakata Chitrakara directed by Ajit Das revolved around a painter. A rich girl, who is an ardent art lover, is impressed by the painter’s work. He falls in love with her, but does not express it. The girl goes on to marry a doctor while the artist continues to find happiness in the portrait of the girl he had painted. Based on the story by acclaimed satirist Faturananda, the play received immense appreciation.

Patent Medicine, a story by Fakir Mohan Senapanti, was staged by performers of Utkalini. The celebrated story that finds a cure for infidelity was presented as a musical dance drama portraying how a hapless homemaker deals with her debauched husband.

The curtains descended on the festival with Konarka Bikri Heba directed by Bikram Keshari Mohanty.

The play was a satirical insight into the crass commercialism that has invaded contemporary society, where everything, including heritage sites can be bought and sold in a market.

Iproch aims to preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage of Odisha. In 2011, they had organised an Odia film festival celebrating the platinum jubilee of Odia cinema. Last year, they organised an Odissi music festival that was well appreciated by art aficionados.

“Many non-Odias attended the festival and got an insight into Odia theatre,” said Shyamsunder Sahoo, joint secretary, Iproch.