Rayagada: Sterling performances by artistes from across the country stole the hearts of the audience under a chilly sky on the third day of the Chaiti district-level festival here Monday.
Power-packed performances set the mood for a charged experience in the town with thousands of townspeople in attendance.
The highlights of the evening included – Goutam Ghoshal’s Kala Mandalam, Bihu and Nepali dance by Nupur Group of West Bengal, Odissi by Debadipti Biswal of Bhubaneswar on behalf of the state government’s culture department, Purulia Chhau dance, Dhangidi dance by Mrunmayee troupe of Bhawanipatna, African Tribal Acrobat by Orissa Martial Art Academy of Malkangiri, Mohiniattam by Muskan Rath of JK Pur and Desia dance by Rayagada Autonomous College.
Among all the stalls, the one put up by Rayagada SC/ST development department on the lifestyle of Dongria Kondhs was a huge draw on the third day. It featured Dongria women, style of their house decoration, the idol of their presiding deity Dharanipetu and handicrafts.
Besides, the visitors thronged the stalls put up by the horticulture department and soil conservation and watershed development.
Rayagada forest division, in its stall, tried to spread the message of afforestation in urban areas, safeguarding of environment in Rayagada, prevention of forest fires, greenery on barren hills and protection of endangered wild animals.
Attractive decorations were also put up at the stalls by various other government departments leading to massive footfalls in the evening.
Prominent guests at the occasion included Rayagada collector and cultural committee chairperson Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar, Srikakulam collector P Laxmi Narasingham, Vizianagaram collector Vivek Yadav, Visakhapatnam collector Pravin Kumar, Rayagada SP K Shiva Subramani, Rayagada DFO P Sanjiv Reddy and commandants of CRPF, BSF and RIBN.
A number of competitions were held on the occasion and the successful school students were given prizes for their performances. PNN