Bhavya Paik Akhada procession in Odisha on the occasion of 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram
Jagrut Odisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar ·
A grand procession was held in Bhubaneswar on Saturday as part of the year-long celebrations to mark the 150th anniversary of the national song 'Vande Mataram'. Over 600 warriors showcased traditional martial arts and bravery of Odisha.
The procession, organized under the joint auspices of the Department of Odia Language, Literature and Culture and the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi, started from Ram Mandir and ended at Rabindra Mandap.
Culture Minister Suryavanshi Suraj joined the procession and marched with the dignitaries. Addressing the gathering, he said that 'Vande Mataram' is a symbol of national pride and self-respect. Its glorious tradition will continue to inspire generation after generation.
The Minister said that the state government has been organizing various programs throughout the year to celebrate the 150th anniversary of this national song. On the occasion of National Youth Day on January 12, more than 29 lakh students from more than 28,000 educational institutions in Odisha simultaneously sang 'Vande Mataram'.
Saturday's event featured a special Odia style of national music performed by the Odisha Sangat Natak Academy. Women from the Paiks, dressed in traditional attire, joined the procession and demonstrated their martial arts.
The Minister congratulated the leaders for preserving the traditional martial arts and heritage of the state. He also called for a joint effort by all to protect and promote Odia culture.
Ekamra MLA Babu Singh also lauded the Pai community for its contribution in preserving and promoting traditional Pai martial arts.
The festival featured patriotic songs and a performance of 'Vande Mataram' by child artists from the cultural institution 'Ishpigli Mispigli'. A book on 'Vande Mataram' was launched by the Odisha Sahitya Academy and an art exhibition based on the national song was also organised.
A play based on Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's novel 'Anandamath', which inspired 'Vande Mataram', was staged at Rabindra Mandap.
Many eminent personalities including Vijay Ketan Upadhyay, Secretary of the Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department, Chandrashekhar Hota, Secretary of the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi, Prakash Srichandan, Shantanu Rath and Niranjan Panda were present at the event.