New Delhi: The ninth edition of Odisha Parba, the three-day cultural festival celebrating the rich heritage, traditions and artistic legacy of Odisha, concluded at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, here on Sunday.
The festival witnessed enthusiastic participation from the Odia community as well as people from diverse backgrounds, reaffirming Odisha Parba’s growing stature as one of the most prominent cultural celebrations in the national capital.
Over the three days, the event recorded unprecedented footfall by 1.7 lakh visitors, while artisans, food vendors and exhibitors generated good business, reflecting strong public interest in Odisha’s traditional crafts, cuisine and cultural offerings.
The concluding day witnessed the presence of Odisha Governor, Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati, as chief guest and Delhi tourism minister Kapil Mishra as the guest of honour.
The Odisha Governor said, ” I appreciate the Odia Samaj for organising this wonderful festival that beautifully showcases Odisha’s cultural legacy and strengthens our collective bonds.”
The festival was inaugurated earlier in the presence of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Delhi Minister Ashish Sood. On the second day, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Odia Samaj president Sidhartha Pradhan graced the occasion.
A major highlight of this year’s edition was ‘Pratibha Utsava,’ a talent hunt platform for emerging artists. For the first time since the festival’s inception, a dedicated talent search session was organized in which students from Odisha participated in cultural dance and artistic performances, both solo and group, providing young artists an opportunity to showcase their talent on a national platform.
Complementing the cultural festivities, the festival also hosted a series of seminars under the theme “Talk Today, Transform Tomorrow,” bringing together thought leaders, policymakers and experts to discuss Odisha’s development journey and its vision for a self-reliant and progressive future.Food lovers enjoyed an authentic culinary experience at the festival’s food court featuring iconic Odia dishes such as Kataka Dahibara and Jagannath Mahaprasad, while the exhibition pavilion showcased Odisha’s traditional crafts, textiles and artistic heritage.
