Art Vision - Events - Kalinga Mahotsav

Every year, in the month of February, Art Vision, in collaboration with Orissa Tourism and Nalco, organises the Kalinga Mahotsav, a festival exclusively dedicated to martial dances. The Festival takes place at the footstep of the Dhauli stupa, the Japanese Buddist Temple situated on a hill at the outskirts of modern Bhubaneswar. This is the place where Emperor Ashok is believed to have fought the last battle of the great Kalinga war before surrendering the sword and embracing Buddism.

The calm and solemn statue of Buddha overlooking the entire stage from the top of the stupa and the tranquil expanse of the countryside populated by paddy fields and cashew plantations provides the peaceful background to the outburst of movements and sounds which accompanied the performance of the martial artists. The aim of the organisers is to ‘harmonise the vigour of martial tradition with the sublimity of peace through dance performances’.

Thang Ta

Every year the Festival opens with a modern choreography based on martial art and then showcases traditional martial dance forms from different parts of India. During the 1st Kalinga Mahotsav, which took place on the 1st and 2nd of February 2003 a creative choreography 'Jarjara' was presented as the opening item followed by Paika Dance from Orissa, Kalarippayattu from Kerala, Thang Ta from Manipur and Chhau from Mayurbhanji.

The 2nd Kalinga Mahotsav, which took place on the on the 13th and 14th of February 2004, opened with an item of Mayurbhanji Chhau followed by 'Sound of Silence' a creative choreography based on martial art and by a performance of Ghatka, the martial art form from Punjab. The other forms presented were Kalaripayattu from Kerala and Phari Khanda and Seraikella Chhau from Jharkhand.

Seraikella Chhau

Mallakhamb

The 3rd Kalinga Mahotsav took place at Dhauli Stupa on the 4th and 5th of February2005. The following troupes participated on the first day: Calcutta based group Anjika directed by Priti Patel, presented ''Agni' a creative choreography based on the martial art form from Manipur, Shree Samartha Vyayam Mandir troupe from Dadar, Mumbai, presented a demonstration of Mallakhamb and Yogasanas and Mahavir Sanskrutik Anusthan from Kalahandi, Orissa, presented a demonstration of 'banabadi', a tribal martial art. On the second day Pandit Ananda Rao and troupe from Kolhapur presented 'mardani khel' , the Royal Chhou Academi from Purulia displayed items from the Purulia Chhou repertoire and Mohamed Mustafa Silambam school of martial arts from Tamil Nadu presented a demonstration of Silambam.

The 4th Kalinga Mahotsav was organized by Art Vision in collaboration with Orissa Tourism and Nalco at Dhauli, Bhubaneswar, on the 4th and 5th of February 2006.The following troupes participated.On the first day:'Surya Devata', choreographic composition based on Mayurbhanji Chhau, performed by Chhau artists from Baripada, Kalaippayattu by Maruthi Marma Chikilsa & Kalari Sangham, Thiruvanthapuram and Thang Ta by Guru Devabrata Siman and party, Imphal

On the second day:'Keibul Lanjav' choreographic composition based on martial art of Manipur, performed by Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academi, Imphal, Kathakali by Natyasala Kathakali Sangram, Thiruvantapuram and Perini Shiva Tandava by Dr Natarajan Radhakrishna and party, Hyderabad

Keibul Lanjav