Gotipua Dance Festival begins at Odissi Research Centre

Bhubaneswar: The state-level Gotipua Dance Festival commenced today at the Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre in Bhubaneswar.

The festival is being organised with the support of the Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department in collaboration with Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre, Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi and Lokakala Sangha. The festival will continue till 1st September.

As many as 20 dance troupes from across Odisha are participating in this cultural event. The inaugural programme was graced by eminent dance personalities such as Aruna Mohanty and Ileana Citaristi, Guru Ramahari Das, Dr. Chittaranjan Mallia, Guru Gobinda Gopal and noted vocalist Dr. Sangeeta Gosain. Among others, Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi Secretary Dr. Chandra Shekhar Hota, Deputy Director of Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department and Administrative Officer of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre, Suchismita Mantri, were present and formally inaugurated the festival.

“Gotipua is an inseparable part of Odia culture, deeply intertwined with our rich dance tradition. The organisation of this State-Level Gotipua Dance Festival not only nurtures emerging talent but also helps in preserving and popularising our traditional dance heritage,” said Suchismita Mantri.

On the first day, a panel discussion on ‘Music and Performance in Gotipua’ was held. Dance troupes from Chandrasekhar Gotipua Kala Sansad, Kailash Gotipua Nrutya Pratishthan, Maa Ashtabhuja Gotipua Kala Parishad, Murchhana Gotipua, Baba Gorekhanath Gotipua Dance Association, Maa Santoshi Gotipua, and Bankeswari Gotipua Nrutya Parishad, performed on the inaugural day.