Second Museum Walk: Students from US, visitors enjoy two events on a single day

Bhubaneswar: Showcasing its rich array of diverse themes, Ekamra Walks, the only guided tour in the city took visitors to the world of unique temple building technique and architecture early in the morning and through the beautiful world of craft and handloom amidst rich and soul stirring music and performance of Prahallad Natak, by a troupe from Ganjam district, in the afternoon.
Starting early in the morning the Ekamra Walks Old Town Circuit had a wonderful interaction on the famous festival Sheetal Sasthi, through which the marriage of Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati is solemnized. While passing through the 7th Century Parasurameswar Temple, after the Mukteswar-Siddheswar Complex, visitors also saw the depiction of the traditional festival on stone at the 7th Century structure.
Later, while passing through the magnificent Lingaraj temple, the visitors had a glimpse of the decorations in front of the temple and listen to the traditional process through which the festival is celebrated each year.
Two students from Emory University, Georgia in US, Renee Cerovski and Rebekah Williams, who are doing a two-month-long internship with a city-based organization based in Lingipur, Bhubaneswar, termed their experience at 79th Ekamra Walks Old Town Circuit as “unforgettable’’ and “interesting’’.
SECOND MUSEUM WALK
At the second Museum Walk at the State Crafts Museum in Kala Bhoomi near Gandamunda there was an overwhelming response with 65 walkers joining the group to explore the various crafts, pre-weaving techniques, handloom, tribal life and art and other displays in various galleries.
The visitors comprising various age groups and interests scanned through galleries on terracotta, traditional painting i.e. pattachitra and palm-leaf itching and paining on papier-mâché. They also went through the wood carving, stone carving and temple making, metal, pre-weaving techniques, traibal crafts, handloom and sarees and joined the live workshops where the artisans are busy making clay artifacts on their wheels.
Suchismita Mantri, Superintendent with State Archives, who was among the walkers in the second Museum Walk, said, “this unique event will certainly others. I am really happy to discover the beautiful ambience and the way the various galleries are planned and executed.’’
Art, literature enthusiast and entrepreneur Suschi Nayak said “this new museum will definitely redefine the culture of going to a museum as besides the walk a lot more activities are also there for the visitors to choose from.’’
Participating in a discussion among the walkers founder of Bakul, a household name in Odisha for promoting library movement and public art for a cause, Sujit Mohapatra narrated an interesting tale regarding the origin of the appliqué work and the genesis of the word Pipili. The appliqué work, which has been a symbol of the love and brotherly hood among the Hindu and Muslim residents of the area, is thriving on the unified contribution and the product is also used in all religious occasions and especially during the famous car festival of Lord Jagannath in Puri.
The jugalbandi of table and sitar near the water body of the beautiful crafts museum captivated the audience and they enjoyed it taking a small break from the museum walk.
The two US students from Emory University, Georgia, Renee Cerovski and Rebekah Williams were also happy after their Museum Walk. They also enjoyed Prahallad Natak till the end and tried to understand its theme. “We found both the Old Town and Museum Walks educating and opening a new chapter on Odisha’s traditional wealth, before our eyes,’’ they observed.
The handloom gallery with a beautiful collection of all kinds of sarees, pre-weaving gallery with different silks and dyeing techniques received much attention from the visitors.
The Museum Walk will be held on every Sunday between 3.30 pm and 5 pm. It is an initiative by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, Bhubaneswar Development Authority, Odisha Tourism along with Handlooms, Textile and Handicrafts Department. The event would be curated by Detour. The museum is the first of its kind to be established in the State.