Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, March 10: A one-day state-level seminar on ‘Traditional Singing Style of Odissi Music’ was held at Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra Odissi Research Centre here Monday.
Inaugurating the programme, culture director Sushil Kumar Das said Odissi music has carved out a classical identity for itself due to its traditional style of singing.
“The state government has formed a committee to take up the issue of granting classical status to Odissi music. Odissi has maintained the core values of classical dance for a long time,” Das said at the seminar. The government would take steps to begin the process of bestowing a classical tag upon Odissi music, Das added.
Addressing a gathering of Odissi music lovers, Prof Jagannath Kuanr said, “Odissi music is more classical than other forms of classical music, and the research centre will emphasise on further research studies in this field for its recognition as a classical form of music. Odissi classical music is independent from Hindustani and Carnatic forms of music. It has an age-old tradition but has lost its charm due to our lack of patronage within our own state. It is time that we focused on improving the music scene within the state and popularising Odissi classical music across the world. ”
Exhorting artistes present at the seminar, Prof Ganesh Prasad Das said youngsters should be encouraged to learn classical singing. “Emphasis should be laid on several elements of Odissi music. Learning it would have a tremendous benefit in contemporary music training as well,” Das said.
Eminent research scholars like Tirthananda Mohanty, Dr Arati Mishra, A Maheswar Rao, Artatrana Das and young research scholars and artistes participated in the seminar.
