BHUBANESWAR: As Bhubaneswar gears up to host the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) convention, the Ekamra Utsav to be organised from January 5 will add a special cultural flair to the celebrations showcasing Odisha’s rich heritage and traditions.
The festival – a blend of art, culture, food, music and heritage – has been designed to create an unforgettable experience for the delegates who will be attending the PBD conclave from across the globe, said Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) vice-chairman N Thirumala Naik.
The Utsav will continue till January 16 and feature cultural evenings, food festival, city lighting, flea market and Ekamra Walks along with other activities. The cultural evenings from 3.30 pm to 6.30 pm everyday will have storytelling sessions, interactions with celebrity artistes, papercraft and flower-making workshops, magic shows and live performances by top musical artistes.
A food festival will also be held at the IDCO Exhibition ground, showcasing a variety of Odia as well as north Indian, south Indian and international cuisine. The BDA will also organise Park Utsav from January 5 to January 12 at Madhusudan Park, Indira Gandhi Park, Buddha Park, Forest Park, and Abdul Kalam Park.
The night flea market, another highlight, will remain open from 4 pm to 11 pm from January 5 to January 16. It will feature a wide range of stalls set up by emerging entrepreneurs, home-based businesses, and local enterprises from across India. Visitors will be able to explore clothing, footwear, accessories, unique handcrafted home décor items, and organic and healthy food products.
In view of PBD, the ‘Ekamra Walks’ will feature special trails from January 8 to January 10 providing the Indian diaspora an opportunity to reconnect with their cultural roots.
BDA officials said the city thoroughfares will be aesthetically and artistically decorated during the entire duration. The streets from Airport Square to AG Square; AG Square to Kalpana Square; AG Square to Governor House Square; AG Square to Housing Board Square; Governor House Square to XIMB Square; Institute of Engineers side road to Housing Board Square and Janpath and Madhusudan Marg will be illuminated.
