Bhubaneswar: The seventh edition of Kalabhoomi Utsav commenced at the Odisha Crafts Museum here Saturday, bringing together artisans, craftsmen, and art enthusiasts for a five-day cultural and artistic celebration.
Inaugurating the festival, Handloom, Textiles, and Handicrafts Department commissioner-cum-secretary Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar reaffirmed the government’s commitment to preserving and promoting Odisha’s traditional crafts.
“Our artisans are the torchbearers of Odisha’s cultural legacy. The department is dedicated to providing them with the necessary support and exposure to sustain and grow their crafts,” she said. Padma Shri awardee Prabhakar Maharana, along with Handicrafts director and Boyanika MD Pranati Chhotray also graced the occasion.
The event commenced with a welcome address by the department’s special secretary Madhumita Rath, while the additional secretary proposed the vote of thanks. Following the inaugural ceremony, a stone carving workshop, ‘Sthapatya: Etching Livelihood on Stone’, was held, featuring a panel discussion with renowned national award-winning artisans. Experts like Uday Mohanty, Padma Charan Ojha, Indramani Maharana, Maheshwar Ojha, Rajendra Mishra, Binay Bhushan Jena, Golak Patra, and Komal Kant Sahu shared insights into the challenges and future of the craft.
The session was moderated by Devi Prasanna Nanda. Highlighting the importance of skill-building among the youth, the festival has lined up several interactive sessions—a drawing competition for school and college students March 23 and a summer camp designed to engage young minds with Odisha’s artistic traditions March 24. A specialised workshop in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Packaging, Kolkata focusing on product packaging for artisans will also be held March 25 and 26.
PNN
