BARIPADA: A Chhau dance training centre and a year-long programme in the marital dance form was inaugurated by Culture Minister Aswini Patra at the District Culture office here on Thursday. An official launch of the programme was held at Sadbhavana Sabha Gruha of the Collectorate.
The State government is ready to provide adequate facilities for the development of the folk dance, said the minister during the launch adding, “The dance form cannot be aced just by practice, it requires devotion.”
He unveiled the syllabus of the training programme written by Chhau dance guru Kamalendu Mohanta in presence of Mayurbhanj Collector Vineet Bhardwaj and secretary of Odisha Sangeet Natak Academy Probodha Rath among other dignitaries.
“As many as 20 scholars have been selected to learn the dance form for the first batch of the training programme and they will receive a monthly stipend of Rs 4,000 each for the same. We have also roped in eight teachers and musicians who will get Rs 8,000 per month from the Culture department,” informed Mohanta.
Additional chief secretary of the Culture department Madhusudan Padhi said the department will try its best to provide certificates from the Utkal University of Culture for the students who complete the programme.