Bhubaneswar: The National Kandhei Natak (Puppet Theatre) Festival, organised by the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi with support from the Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department, commenced at Bhanja Kala Mandap here on December 18.
The two-day festival, concluding on December 19, brings together leading puppetry troupes from across the state and the country, highlighting the rich and diverse traditions of Indian puppet theatre.
A total of eight troupes from Odisha and five puppet theatre groups from Kerala, Karnataka, Rajasthan and West Bengal are participating in the festival, offering audiences a rare opportunity to experience multiple forms of puppetry on a single platform.
Inaugurating the festival, Dr. Bijay Ketan Upadhyay, Secretary of the Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department, attended as the chief guest.
In his address, Dr. Upadhyay underscored the unique cultural significance of Kandhei Natak, describing it as a vibrant and living tradition rooted in Odisha’s villages and towns.
He lauded the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi for its sustained efforts to revive and promote the state’s traditional art forms and expressed confidence that the national-level festival would help popularise Kandhei Natak and sensitise the younger generation to Odisha’s rich cultural heritage.
Deba Prasad Dash, Special Secretary of the Culture Department, provided an overview of the diverse puppet theatre traditions practised in different states of India, while renowned actor Harihar Mahapatra encouraged the participating artists and appreciated their contribution to preserving traditional performing arts.
The inaugural day featured a series of captivating performances. Shri Ram Chhayanatak Gabeshana from Khamar in Angul district opened the evening with “Vande Mataram”, which drew warm applause from the audience. This was followed by Sakhi Kandhei Natak by Parmeshwar Singh of Kendrapara, Gopaleela Kandhei Natak by Jagabandhu Behera of Bhanjanagar, Ravana Chhaya by Gouranga Charan Das of Angul, and Ramaleela Kandhei Natak by Chakradhar Parida of Keonjhar.
The special attractions of the programme included a contemporary Kandhei Natak presentation by Amarendra Nath Naskar from 24 Parganas, West Bengal, and an evocative shadow play performance by Gunduraju from Karnataka.
Audience members at Bhanja Kala Mandap expressed deep appreciation for the festival and suggested that such national-level events be organised every year to ensure the continued survival and growth of traditional puppetry.
Dr. Chandrasekhar Hota, Secretary of the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi, delivered the welcome address and conducted the proceedings of the inaugural programme.
Kandhei Natak is a traditional form of puppetry in Odisha, encompassing string puppets such as Sakhi Kandhei and shadow puppetry forms like Ravana Chhaya.
