It is a divine union, a fanatical invocation of devotees surrounded by blasting of music and fascinated dancers with a cultural extravaganza. This is in short, is the new version of the Sital Sasti festival that concludes on Saturday after hectic street procession of devine couple. Celebrating the devine union of Lord Shiva with goddess Parvati, as the mobile stages carrying the dancers and folk artists passes across the street, Sambalpur takes a carnival looks.But over the past the invasion of skin-show-dancers from country’s southern part to the festival has raised eye brows of many. To add glamour in the festival, professional dancers performing provoking dances are encouraged by the Yatra committees forgetting its impact on the community. The revealing attire and vulgar may increase applaud among the cheerful-crowd gathered around the stage but the obscenity and vulgarity have certainly caused harm to the younger generation. The seniors of the society as well as the district administration how ever make a murmur on the growing nudity that feel religious festival should be left pious. “I do not feel wise to recommend such vulgarity during Sital Sasti as I feel it is a religious function. The committee members should try to clean the atmosphere to make the festival more attractive” retired professor K C Panda opined. .
On the other hand the issue of vulgarity has prompted the members of the Joint coordination committee of the Sital Sasti festival to have ‘dress code’ for the dancers to minimize the vulgarity. .
“It is a part of the age-old tradition which can not be changed overnight. Still we have decided to have proper attention on the dresses of the dancers. Every Yatra committee will prescribe a ‘dress code’ for their artists. However we have already stopped ‘Bai nacha’ and in their place we have introduced album artists. We have also decided to give more thrust on the folk and traditional dances in coming years”, the general secretary of the joint coordination committee Anupam Mishra told
Sources said, Sital Sasti Yatra is an age-old traditional festival that is based on the marriage ceremony of Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati. The entire process of the ceremony is done as per local tradition and custom. During the festival Lord Shiva goes on Barat to the house of the parents of goddess Parvati (selected by the respective Yatra committee) to marry her. The parents spend huge amount to perform the marriage like their own daughter. Street processions of the newly married couple along with various dances and traditional culture are organized by the respective Yatra committees to mark the occasion.
In past Harlot (bai nacha) from Kolkata and Raipur was a part of the festival, but slowly erotic and vulgar dance groups from South India were invited to pull the crowd as there was a competition among the Yatra committees. But over the past few years reformation has taken place in the Yatra after formation of a Joint coordination committee.
“Yatra committees are to be serious on the matter. we can not do cultural policing all the times.People also should be aware to avoid such obscene dances as it give a negative impact on the society, Mr. P K Patnaik, collector Sambalpur told.
But there are others who argue that administration is interfering much in the fultural fair. They argue that that dancing on the tune of movie songs can not be considered as vulgar. “One should not consider it as vulgar and obscene as we invite only album artists and professional dancers. We have also taken care on the costume and dresses of the artists. We have also introduced Bihu ,Bhangra and chhau in the festival replacing traditional Bai nacha in order to make the festival more colourful and attractive.” , the president of the Jharuapara yatra committee Saroj Dalpat told.
It may be mentioned here that the artists perform their dances on a mobile wheel stages especially built-up by the Yatra committee. Every Yatra committee has as 8 to 10 such wheel stages which are pulled in a row. Apart from the stage artists there are hundreds of artists who perform on the open space. The divine couple follows the precession bedecked with beautiful chariots .
On the other hand the issue of vulgarity has prompted the members of the Joint coordination committee of the Sital Sasti festival to have ‘dress code’ for the dancers to minimize the vulgarity. .
“It is a part of the age-old tradition which can not be changed overnight. Still we have decided to have proper attention on the dresses of the dancers. Every Yatra committee will prescribe a ‘dress code’ for their artists. However we have already stopped ‘Bai nacha’ and in their place we have introduced album artists. We have also decided to give more thrust on the folk and traditional dances in coming years”, the general secretary of the joint coordination committee Anupam Mishra told
Sources said, Sital Sasti Yatra is an age-old traditional festival that is based on the marriage ceremony of Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati. The entire process of the ceremony is done as per local tradition and custom. During the festival Lord Shiva goes on Barat to the house of the parents of goddess Parvati (selected by the respective Yatra committee) to marry her. The parents spend huge amount to perform the marriage like their own daughter. Street processions of the newly married couple along with various dances and traditional culture are organized by the respective Yatra committees to mark the occasion.
In past Harlot (bai nacha) from Kolkata and Raipur was a part of the festival, but slowly erotic and vulgar dance groups from South India were invited to pull the crowd as there was a competition among the Yatra committees. But over the past few years reformation has taken place in the Yatra after formation of a Joint coordination committee.
“Yatra committees are to be serious on the matter. we can not do cultural policing all the times.People also should be aware to avoid such obscene dances as it give a negative impact on the society, Mr. P K Patnaik, collector Sambalpur told.
But there are others who argue that administration is interfering much in the fultural fair. They argue that that dancing on the tune of movie songs can not be considered as vulgar. “One should not consider it as vulgar and obscene as we invite only album artists and professional dancers. We have also taken care on the costume and dresses of the artists. We have also introduced Bihu ,Bhangra and chhau in the festival replacing traditional Bai nacha in order to make the festival more colourful and attractive.” , the president of the Jharuapara yatra committee Saroj Dalpat told.
It may be mentioned here that the artists perform their dances on a mobile wheel stages especially built-up by the Yatra committee. Every Yatra committee has as 8 to 10 such wheel stages which are pulled in a row. Apart from the stage artists there are hundreds of artists who perform on the open space. The divine couple follows the precession bedecked with beautiful chariots .
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hello ajit!!
ReplyDeletewonderful article!!
i just wanted to request u tht can u write something about navakala(when lord jagannath's body is changed)
thnx amit :)