BHUBANESWAR: The third edition of National Festival of Mayurbhanj Chhau, ‘Naatki-2026’, concluded in the state capital. The event, organised at Rabindra Mandap, featured a series of performances inspired by Indian mythology and the history of Kalinga.
The festival opened with Chakravyuha, based on the Mahabharata, performed by the senior dancers of Project Chhauni. This was followed by Durga-Kali, presented by Carolina Prada of Colombia.
The third performance, Mallikarjuna, was staged by Baba Kala Mahadevdev Chhau Nrutya Pratisthan, Tikhia. The fourth, Triyambakam, explored the creative and destructive aspects of Lord Shiva and was performed by Ajay Singh Rathore and Kajal Sharma from Mumbai, along with Carolina Prada.
The festival concluded with a powerful production on the Sun Temple of Konark, narrating the legendary story of Bishu Maharana, Dharmapada and the 1,200 Badhhei (temple artisans).
Minister for Law, Works and Excise Prithiviraj Harichandan, Sanskar Bharati national secretary Sanjay Chaudhary, noted researcher and exponent of Mayurbhanj Chhau Ileana Citaristi, co-convenor of the Odisha Chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Anil Dhir and senior bureaucrat and founder and managing trustee of Project Chhauni Rajesh Prabhakar Patil graced the event.
Addressing the gathering, the guests highlighted the significance of Mayurbhanj Chhau in Odisha’s cultural landscape and appreciated the efforts of Project Chhauni in promoting the art form and improving the livelihoods of its artistes.
The festival was curated by Subhasree Mukherjee, executive director of Project Chhauni. Trustee of Project Chhauni Bibhudatta Das was also present.