ODISHA HOSTS THE INTERNATIONAL ODISHI FESTIVAL AND ODISHI DANCE GAINS A NEW STATUS IN GUINESS WORLD RECORD

ODISHA HOSTS THE INTERNATIONAL ODISHI FESTIVAL AND ODISHI DANCE GAINS A NEW STATUS IN GUINESS WORLD RECORD 24/12/2011

ODISHA NEWS:


Odissi dancers from across the globe presented a spectacular show together in the biggest ever assembly at the opening of International Odissi Festival on Friday, in order to set a world record.


It is very much mesmerizing to see dancers filled with color and grace and the grandeur of Odissi dance reverberated in Kalinga Stadium here as a sea of dancers attempted to create a world record .

More than 5000 audience, photo journalists and video journalists across the capital, celebrities, politicians and bureaucrats of the state, visitors across the globe and last but not the list 555 acclaimed Odissi dancers having all fingers crossed for the very moment of Guinness world record. It was exactly 4.01 pm in the afternoon they made it happen with all their honest efforts. Starting from 3.33pm in the afternoon the 28minute long performance enthralled one and all present inside the stadium .


The Culture Department of Odisha, organized this unique event at the Kalinga Stadium on the eve of Odissi International Festival. On the eve of inauguration Mr. Praffulla Samala, Culture and Tourism Minister of the state stated that there has been plnning to set up Odissi Dance Institutions at the every panchayat level. This programme was organised by the department with collaboration with ICCR, Sangeet Natak Academy, IPAP USA & Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre.


Among the dancers there were 7 foreign participants while 27 dancers were from other parts of India. Pallavi, one of the participants speaks out her joyful experience saying that” It was hard to practicing 10 to 5 under sun but we really forget everything I don't have words to express. it was a great experience performing among 555 dancer i feel very proud to part of it.”

The largest number of dancers came from USA, Russia and Japan. For the first time this year dancers from Israel, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and Brazil are participating in this global gathering.


"It is a proud moment for all of us. Each and every Odia would feel proud of this moment in history," said Guru Ratikant Mahapatra, who choreographed the mega show, which marked the beginning of the eight-day magnificent Odissi International Dance Festival. "Today's performance shows Odissi is coming back from classes to masses," said Dr Lalit Mansingh, former Indian diplomat and chairman of the Odissi festival.
The event came after a performance of around 2,800 Kuchipudi dancers, who earned the Guinness World Record last year in Hyderabad, a senior Culture department official said.

With this magical event the biggest ever event for Odissi started in the capital. Odissi dancers across the globe are waiting for the dancing floor of Rabindra Mandap.

SIDDHARTHA SHANKAR MISHRA,
BUREAU CHIEF, THESE DAYS,
ODISHA