Sonepur: An exhibition of paintings on river Mahanadi organised by Odisha Lalit Kala Akademi was held at Town Hall here on Tuesday and Wednesday. Twelve painters from across the state exhibited their paintings on different faces of Mahanadi, the river which has become a subject of debate between Odisha and Chhattisgarh these days.

Artists such as Antaryami Meher of Patnagarh, Saroj Mahapatra of Balangir, Shyam Sundar Meher and Jayanta Meher of Sonepur and Srikant Udgata of Balangir graced the occasion and contributed their paintings on the theme.

"All the artists treated Mahanadi from their own point of view which they reproduced on the canvas. Some explored the scenic beauty that Mahanadi offers and the extravagant vistas and the likes of Lankeswari temple in the middle of the river came alive on the canvas. Others have tried their hand on the burning issues that the river is presently facing," Mahapatra said.

Mahapatra further said that he had tried to depict the degeneration the river was facing through his paintings.

"This is the first time that an exhibition is held with river Mahanadi as the theme. It feels good to be part of such an excellent exhibition," said deputy director of culture Debanand Beriha.