Matkhai festival concludes with a Koshali language play

Following is a TOI report:

BALANGIR: A play in Koshali language was the highlight of the concluding day of five-day national multi-lingual theatre festival ‘Matkhai Mahotsav’ at Balangir on Saturday. The festival was organized by socio-cultural organization Bhumika.

The play ‘Gara Bandha’ revolved around erstwhile royal tradition of hunting by kings. Gara Bandha was a man, who used to accompany kings and symbolized the prey during hunting.

“The play depicted the life and struggle of a Gara Bandha. It portrayed the exploitative royal tradition. Through the play we want to send a message across the society how in the past right to life was violated,” said president of the festival Chittaranjan Das.

Odia play ‘haat’, based on plight of bonded labourers, pulled huge crowd as Balangir is known for large-scale migration. Another play Gabbar Ghichor in Bhojpuri also portrayed migration woes.

A Delhi-based drama troupe performed Nachnia (dancer), based on struggle and livelihood of dancing community. “The play mirrored how the dancing communities were looked down upon by the society. They were artiste yet they never got due recognition and respect,” said Dharmendra Nanda, member of the festival.

On the closing day, BJP state president K V Singhdeo attended the festival as chief guest.

“Matkhai Mahotsav is not only offering entertainment through plays but also proving to be a tool for spreading socio-economic and socio-political awareness,” said chairman of the festival Narasingh Mishra. Matkhai is the name of a hill, situated on the outskirts of the town.

Odisha govt. suppressing Kosli language and culture

Following report is from the Pioneer:

There is a deliberate attempt by the Government of Odisha to suppress the Kosli language and culture, alleged Kosal Kranti Dal (KKD) working president Baidyanath Mishra at a Press conference here on Wednesday.

He said teachers and para-teachers are being recruited to appease the minor ethic groups, including Bengali and Telugu, in the State whereas Kosli spoken by almost one and a half crore people is neither given official status nor is any step being taken for its growth due to a high degree of inferiority complex on the Government’s part.

Mishra said thousand of books in Kosli using Odia script have been published in different branches of Kosli literature, but the Government does not have any affirmative stance for promoting the rich literature. This “step-motherly attitude” towards Kosli, coupled with acute regional imbalance and other parochial considerations, has led to discontentment among the people concerned and a strong opinion to split the State.

“The recent activities of the Government and some NGOs have posed a threat to Kosli language and culture,” he alleged and called upon the people of ‘Kosalanchal’ to remain alert. The strategy of “Utkalisation of the Kosal areas” is a calculated one, but the Government has not been successful in the past nor would it be successful in future because of its ill motive as negative action would only bring negative result, he remarked.

Mishra was launching Kosli No-1, a music album brought out by Karan Raj and his young team. Congratulating all those involved in the project, he advised them to adopt the twin strategy of promotion and safeguard for their language and culture.

Editor of Paschimanchala Surama Mishra was the guest of honour on the occasion. Sagar Singh Manki, Ram Chandra Amat, Jai Singh Singh and Hrudanand Behera were among others present.

Kosli theatre fever grips Balangir

Following news item is from TOI:

BALANGIR: While theatre is fast losing popularity the world over, Balangir denizens will get the opportunity to take a dip in the festive fervour in the next 15 days, with Koshli Natbadi all set to kick off on 15 January. A series of drama festivals, which are in the offing, will stage diversified plays. While SITE Cultural Society will organize state-level Koshli Natbadi, a drama competition of a different sort, Bhumika, another cultural body is all set to organize national level multi-lingual theatre fest Matkhai Mahotsav that will begin on January 23. While the Koshli festival will stage the play in colloquial languages, all the plays in Matkhai fest will be of different language.

With the winter still on, it is a wonderful season for theatre lovers to flock together and enjoy the dying art of the area as well as skills of artistes from other state. SITE secretary Srikara Mishra said since it is the harvest season, the farmers and labourers are in the mood to celebrate. It is the best time for any cultural body to offer this kind of entertainment. “Our objective is to showcase the local flavour of land through these plays to enthrall the average audience. Apart from that, we will also felicitate outstanding artistes and plays too,” said Mishra. In the seven-day long festival, 22 plays will be staged. Matkhai, which is being organized under the chairmanship of Law Commission Member Narasingha Mishra, aims at reviving the urban and rural theatre and inspiring budding talents, will stage five plays in different language. Of them, the play of Dendish theatre group of Delhi will be a great hit, said Mahotsav president Dharmendra Prasad Nanda.

On each day, eminent personalities of the state will adorn the stage by their presence, while cine artistes will also be invited to encourage the artistes. On the first day, Natya Jyoti will be taken in a procession to Matkhai hill, about 5 km from here. In another effort, the organisation has formed an expert committee comprising veteran artistes to visit at least eight colleges every day during the festival and impart and guide students about the theatre.

A theatre lover, Sashi Sekhar Panda, said two organizations are making a rare effort to revive the theatre culture in the region. “Although there were doyens of drama here in Balangir, there have been no opportunities like this. This effort will definitely help improve the theatre culture in Balangir and contribute greatly to India’s theatre potential,” said Panda.

Balangir based cultural organisation “Bhumika” to host Mathkhai Mahotsav, from January 23 to 27.

Following is from The Telegraph:

Balangir, Jan. 3: Balangir-based cultural organisation Bhumika is all set to host Mathkhai Mahotsav, a multilingual theatre festival from January 23 to 27.

The five-day festival will showcase some of the best plays from across the country. Two Hindi and one Marathi play will be part of the fare.

President of the organising committee of the festival, Chitta Ranjan Dash said apart from staging plays from other states, the organisation would try to revive rural theatre, which was dying fast.

“This time we are focusing on the revival of rural theatre. Apart from the plays that will be staged every evening, rural artistes will also be provided the platform to stage their plays,” Dash said. The theatre festival will open with Koshali play Ukhi, written by Vinod Pasayat and directed by Suresh Chandra Sahu.

Pendish theatre group from New Delhi will stage Hindi play Sarkari Feminism written by Anuradha Marwa and directed by Sanjaya Kumar on January 24. On January 25, Marathi play Ajantha written and directed by Milind Inamdar will be staged by Srujan theatre group of Mumbai. On the fourth day of the festival Oriya play Chaitu will be staged by Pyayas theatre group of Rourkela. Nirman Kalamanch of Patna will stage Hari Shankar written by Srikant Kishore and directed by Sanjaya Upadhyaya.

Rural artistes will mostly perform mythological plays that are dying. They will perform plays such as Karna Badha, Laxmi Purana, Sita Chori and Ushabati Harana. On the opening day of the festival, the Natyajyoti flame will be taken out in a procession from the Mathkhai hill near Balangir. “The festival is named after Mathkhai hill as it symbolises the rich heritage of Balangir,” said Byasadev Nanda, secretary of Bhumika.

Pictures of Balangir Mathkhai Mahotsav

Thanks to Saket Sahu for the following pictures:

Cultural programme by troup of Ashok Bahidar, Padampur

Hindi play BISAYANTAR: Jajati, Puru, Sharmistha in a scene

Scenes of bodo play MONGLEE (staged by 30 artists of DAPON)

Telugu play KATAMA RAJU KATHA (KRKA Vishakhapatnam)

A scene of odia play BHADRALOKA (staged by BHUMIKA)

Film director Sabyasachi Mahapatra sharing some moments in Mathkhai Natya Mahotsav

NSD Professor Robin Das in Mathkhai Festival

Orissa governor praises Balangir Mathkhai Mahotsav

Following is a report from The Pioneer:

Ours is a multi-lingual and multi-cultural society. You are proving both multi-lingual and multi-cultural by organising such a unique theatre festival. It is a great achievement which needs to be appreciated.”This was observed by Orissa Governor MC Bhandare while speaking to mediapersons for few minutes after addressing people at the five-day-long theatre extravaganza Mathkhai Mahotsav on Wednesday evening.

There should be combined efforts to revive the theatre tradition. Unless there is partnership and collaboration between the State Government and private sectors, and of course people, we cannot have all-round development, he further said .

Earlier addressing the people he called upon the corporate sector to come forward to promote, encourage and sponsor local theatre in order to keep alive the rich tradition and culture of Balangir. Overwhelmed by the warm response of people, he remarked that the gathering was certainly huge like previous years.

Renowned surgery specialist Dinger Meher and social worker Bisweshwarlal Agrawal were felicitated by the Governor. Among others district collector Aswasthy S and former Minister Narasingha Mishra also addressed the gathering.

Theatre festival “Mathkhai Mahotsav” inaugurated in Balangir

Following is a report from The Pioneer:

Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Srikant Jena formally inaugurated the famous five-day theatre festival Mathkhai Mahotsav here on Sunday. During freedom movement, the theatre festival played a vital role in spreading the message of independence, remarked Jena.

Even though an artist delivers his level best, very often it has been found that he gets much less than what he contributes to the society, Jena said. “We should strive for their upliftment,” he added.

The festival is being held under the chairmanship of Congress leader Narasingha Mishra. Former Minister Nalinikanta Mohanty also spoke on the occasion. Artist Sushila Nayyar was felicitated and Odia play Bhadralok, directed by Suresh Sahu, was staged.