Artistes perform a Sambalpuri dance during Rangabati festival in Rourkela. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 18: Megha Utsav, a festival celebrating monsoons that took place in Sambalpur last year, is being hosted in Angul this time. The three-day festival commenced on Wednesday.

However, the art connoisseurs of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar will miss them this year, too, as a part of the rotating policy of the organisers.

The festival will bring together poets, dancers and singers, who will collectively praise the season that brings rain and along with it gaiety.

Apart from local artistes, the likes of Lakhwinder Wadali of Wadali brothers fame from Amritsar, renowned percussionist and music composer Bickram Ghosh from Calcutta and folk singer Pushpa Prasad from Bihar will be the highlight performances of each day. Along with performing artistes, a camp will be hosted to let upcoming painters showcase their creativity.

Rangabati, another three-day festival that took place in Cuttack last year, will now be organised in Rourkela. The festival will begin from September 25. The festival of song and dance of western Odisha is named after the famous Sambalpuri song that was broadcast even on BBC London radio.

Aiming to popularise the rich culture and traditions of western Odisha, the festival will showcase many solo and group song and dance recitals by local artistes. Along with the flavour of vivacious Sambalpuri songs that are accompanied by the rhythm of pounding drums, there will be an orchestra as well where a blend of Ghumura, Bajasal, Banabadi, Dhap and other traditional instruments promise to leave everyone spellbound.

The festivals are in their third year and are organised by state tourism and culture department in association with Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi, Odisha Lalit Kala Akademi and Odisha Sahitya Akademi.

“The inaugural edition took place in Bhubaneswar. It was decided from the very beginning that these festivals would travel to different parts of the state. The feedback has been exemplary as art lovers from across the state have lauded our efforts,” said Chittaranjan Mallia, secretary, Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi.