Varanasi/Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s rich cultural heritage, traditional crafts, cuisine and tourism potential were showcased in Varanasi as the three-day Odisha Parab commenced here on Saturday, bringing the State’s living traditions to the sacred city.
Organised by the Odisha Tourism Department in association with FICCI as the industry partner, the event is being supported by the Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department, Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts Department, Mission Shakti, Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) and Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC).
The festival, being held at the Deendayal Hastkala Sankul–Trade Facilitation Centre and Crafts Museum, will continue till August 24. It seeks to provide visitors an immersive experience of Odisha through its crafts, handlooms, cuisine, performing arts, traditions and tourism destinations.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Odisha Deputy Chief Ministers K V Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, who toured the stalls and interacted with artisans, entrepreneurs and other participants.
The exhibition features 32 stalls, including 22 dedicated to crafts and 10 to cuisine. The craft section showcases Pattachitra, palm-leaf engraving, Dhokra, silver filigree, handloom, Kotpad textiles, brass and bronze crafts, jute products and other traditional and contemporary handicrafts.
Live demonstrations of Pattachitra, palm-leaf engraving, silver filigree and Dhokra are also being held, allowing visitors to witness the traditional skills and techniques passed down through generations.
The cuisine section features traditional Odia food, Pitha, sweets, Dahibara Aloodum, traditional snacks, millet-based products and Koraput Coffee, besides other regional specialities.
The formal inaugural ceremony in the evening was attended by Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya as the chief guest, along with Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, Uttar Pradesh Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh, Labour and Employment Minister Anil Rajbhar and Pindra MLA Awadhesh Singh.
Senior officials present at the ceremony included Union Tourism Ministry Secretary Bhuvnesh Kumar, Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary Amrit Abhijat, Chief Advisor to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Awanish Kumar Awasthi, Odisha Tourism Commissioner-cum-Secretary Balwant Singh, Secretary of the Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department Bijay Ketan Upadhyaya and Odisha Tourism Director Deepankar Mohapatra.
The participation of senior representatives from both states highlighted the significance of Odisha Parab in promoting cultural exchange, tourism cooperation and people-to-people ties between Odisha and Uttar Pradesh.
The Varanasi edition holds particular significance owing to the deep spiritual and cultural connect between Varanasi, associated with Lord Mahadev, and Odisha, the land of Lord Jagannath. The festival seeks to build on this shared spiritual ethos by presenting Odisha’s art, culture, cuisine, craftsmanship and tourism experiences to visitors in Varanasi.
A cultural programme featuring Odissi, Gotipua and Sambalpuri performances, besides folk and traditional art forms, was also organised as part of the inaugural day.
The tourism showcase highlights Odisha’s diverse destinations, including Puri and Konark, the Buddhist heritage sites of Ratnagiri, Udayagiri and Lalitgiri, and natural and wildlife destinations such as Chilika, Bhitarkanika and Similipal. Eco-tourism, wildlife, adventure and experiential tourism offerings of the State are also being promoted.
The festival brings together crafts, handlooms, cuisine, performing arts, rural enterprises and tourism experiences to present Odisha not only as a tourism destination but also as a vibrant cultural ecosystem supporting livelihoods and entrepreneurship.
Visitors will have the opportunity over the next two days to interact with artisans and entrepreneurs, witness traditional performances, sample authentic Odia cuisine and explore the State’s diverse tourism offerings.
