PANAJI
Utkala Divasa, a festival of compassion and togetherness for all the Odia community across the globe, was celebrated on April 2 at the Rajiv Gandhi Kala Mandir, Ponda. It was organised by the joint effort of All Goa Odisha Association (AGOA) and the Jagannath Temple Trust. Being a chief guest of the ceremony, the ex-member of parliament and the current NRI commissioner Narendra Savaikar put forward his kind words on how the Odia and Goan communities can move forward together with cooperation while showing acceptance for mutual values. Following the felicitation ceremony, the cultural performances offered by various Odia and Goan artists also received much appreciation from the crowd. The Nrityashree Foundation, sponsored by the Govt of Odisha, showcased a wide range of dance styles starting from Odissi (one of the eight classical dance forms) to Dalkhai (from Koraput), Sambalpuri (from Sambalpur) and Danda Nritya (from Berhampur); while the famous “Rangabati” dance was the showstopper of that evening.
