Bhubaneswar: “Patha Utsav”, Temple City’s popular cultural street extravaganza is back again on the streets of Janpath.
Initiated by Bhubaneswar Development Association (BDA), Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Odisha Tourism, the spirit of the street festival promoting non-motorised transport and healthy living was rebooted today as part of .FEST (Bhubaneswar City Festival). The central theme of today’s Patha Utsav was hockey as the street event is being held during the Odisha Men’s World Cup Hockey-2018.
More than 20,000 enthusiastic early risers hit the streets of Janpath to partake in Patha Utsav which was held from 06:00 am to 10:00 am. With the theme of hockey the students from Sports Hostel, Kalinga Stadium displayed their skills of hockey on Janpath and the crowd cheered the young players.
Itishri Dixit, a social worker and singer with a long-standing association with Patha Utsav did a beautiful “Rangoli’’ on hockey theme and her team created beautiful images on Janpath depicting the Odisha Men’s World Cup Hockey-2018 cup and also several key players.
The two stages on each end of Janpath, i.e. Master Canteen Square and Ram Mandir Square also had performances by city-based groups and especially Ama Kalakara Parivar. The singers and DJs also promoted the .FEST through their performances and songs. Jai Odisha,a group of young social workers not only organised street hockey, but also held a quiz programme among the visitors and especially kids.
The band of Sai International School performed on Stage I near Master Canteen and there were stalls on Mo Bus and Mo Cycle by the Capital Region Urban Transport to popularise mass trasnsport and cycling for a greener city. There were also health camps by AYUSH Department, Yoga sessions and Zumba by Stay Fit organisation. Children and adults all participated in the Zumba dance programme.
“Patha Utsav is the city’s only festival which connects to the entire population irrespective of age groups, gender, economy and class. Today I met with a toddler barely 2 years old, who came to Patha Utsav with her mother. We also see the children from the nearby slums playing and participating in Patha Utsav. The event is a nice blend of acitivities, healthy practices and getting the fresh air and environment of early morning Bhubaneswar. The newly-installed I Love Bhubaneswar near the Stage I of the festival tells the spirit of Patha Utsav completely,’’ said Bhabani Shankar Chayani, member enforcement of BDA, who is the nodal officer for Patha Utsav.
Today, while local junior hockey team members utilized the stretch for their routine practice and warm up sessions, others utilized this road for playing football, badminton and roller-skating. The event also provided free health check up booths for all as well as an exhibition of “khadi’’ products, promoting its use in our daily lives.
Patha Utsav is the city’s initiative to connect its citizens and neighbourhoods and the response to its re-launch was incredible. It is scheduled to take place on December 9 and 16.
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