Bhubaneswar: After a one year hiatus, Patha Utsav, the city’s weekly cultural extravaganza, which used to be held every Sunday morning and where city people used to come in large numbers and have fun, dance and exercise for hours, has begun again Sunday.
The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) jointly organise Patha Utsav every Sunday from 6 am to 10 am at the Master Canteen-Ram Mandir stretch of Janpath Road.
The central theme of the event was hockey as it was held at a time when the Men’s World Cup Hockey is underway here.
More than 20,000 enthusiastic early risers hit the streets of Janpath to partake in Patha Utsav. Hockey being the theme, students from Sports Hostel, Kalinga Stadium, displayed their hockey skills on Janpath and the crowd cheered the young players.
Itishri Dixit, a social worker and singer with a long-standing association with Patha Utsav, did a beautifulRangoli on hockey theme and her team created exquisite images of Men’s World Cup Hockey and several of its key players on Janpath.
The two stages on each end of Janpath — Master Canteen Square and Ram Mandir Square — also had performances by city-based groups and especially Ama Kalakara Parivar. The singers and DJs also promoted the fest through their performances and songs. Jai Odisha, a group of young social workers, not only organized street hockey but also held a quiz programme for visitors, especially kids.
The band of Sai International School performed on Stage I near Master Canteen and there were stalls on Mo Bus and Mo Cycle by the Capital Region Urban Transport to popularize mass transport and cycling for a greener city. There were also health camps by AYUSH Department, Yoga sessions and Zumba by Stay Fit. Children and adults all participated in the Zumba dance programme.
“Patha Utsav is the city’s only festival which connects to the entire population irrespective of age, gender, social status and class. Today I met with a toddler barely 2 years old, who came to Patha Utsav with her mother. We also see children from the nearby slums playing and participating in Patha Utsav. The event is a nice blend of activities, healthy practices and getting some fresh air of early morning Bhubaneswar. The newly-installed ‘I Love Bhubaneswar’ near the Stage I of the festival reveals the spirit of Patha Utsav,’’ said Bhabani Shankar Chayani, member enforcement of BDA, who is the nodal officer for Patha Utsav.
While the local junior hockey team members utilised the stretch for their routine practice and warm up sessions, others utilized this road for playing football, badminton and roller-skating.
The event also provided free health check up booths for all as well as an exhibition of Khadi products, promoting its use in our daily lives.
What’s heartening is people’s response to the resumption of Patha Utsav. Simply, the re-launch of the city’s initiative to connect its citizens and neighbourhoods was incredible. It is scheduled to take place on December 9 and 16.
On the occasion, Tourism Minister Ashok Chandra Panda said that the city is turning into a sports hub and the ongoing Odisha Hockey World Cup is setting the example. The Patha Utsav is a way to promote that sporting and health culture among the youth. Children and youths participating in dance, sports and games stand testimony to the spirit of the event, the minister said..
