Artistes and artisans hold audience in awe at Kalahandi Utsav 2024
By : Akshaya Kumar Sahoo
Update: 2024-01-31 18:27 GMT
Lanjigarh: Hundreds of performing artistes and artisans of Odisha’s tribal-dominated district had rare opportunities to showcase their talents at the recently concluded five-day Kalahandi Utsav 2024. These artistes and artisans, most of them picked up remote villages and trained by Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh, mesmerised the audience and stall visitors with their enviable performances.
Vedanta, India’s premier producer of metallurgical grade alumina, participated in ‘Kalahandi Utsav - Ghumura’24’ organised at Bhawanipatna, the district headquarters of Kalahandi.
The annual event celebrates the diverse art, culture, music, literature, and handicrafts of the region. It draws inspiration from ‘Ghumura,’ the traditional folk dance that encapsulates the cultural identity of Kalahandi. Its stall at the event presented a captivating fusion of heritage art showcasing the rich cultural tapestry of Odisha along with product exhibits that demonstrated its extensive manufacturing prowess.
The stall attracted thousands of visitors during the festival and was also graced by a host of dignitaries, including District Collector P Anwesha Reddy and superintendent of police G. Abhilash.
Mr. Pranab Kumar Bhattacharyya, CEO- Alumina Business, Vedanta Ltd, said, “The Kalahandi Utsav is a memorable celebration for all of us and a notable platform for Vedanta Lanjigarh to reiterate its commitment to preserving the rich cultural heritage of Odisha, through its myriad arts and crafts. Through our operations and focused social impact endeavors, we strive to work towards the socio-economic development of Kalahandi.”
The stall featured an engaging demonstration of Vedanta Aluminium's product journey, showcasing the transformation of bauxite into high-quality aluminium products, in addition to vibrant displays of its social impact initiatives in the realm of education, health, and skill training. The exhibits also included a display of several handmade and packaged products developed under Project 'Sakhi,’ an initiative by Vedanta Aluminium empowering over 4000 women in rural Odisha through Self-Help Groups (SHGs) by providing several avenues for entrepreneurship.