15/02/2020
Two days Odisha Japan festival 8-9 Feb, 2020 bid adieu on Sunday’s closing ceremony in the holy city of Puri, Odisha (India). More than hundred Japanese artists thronged the stage with their fellow Odishan artists to commemorate the event amid much applaud & fun fare. The festival had been made entry free so as to make common people even participate it. About two thousand five hundred people have gathered in these two days to witness this amazing festival amid cheers & greetings. His excellence honourable Consul General of Japan in Kolkata Mr. Masayuki Taga kindled the ceremonial light in the presence of honourable MLA, Puri along with Additional SP & other respected delegates present.
Japan-India Club, Chandra Sekhar Academy & India-Japan Friendship Center have jointly organized it for people to people interaction by comprehending each other’s art, music & culture. Artists of Japan sang Odia songs while dancing cladded in traditional dress codes. Japanese dance, music, drum & flute especially Taico & Shamisen mesmerised the audience. This awesome fest was coordinated by Kunna Dash, International Tourism Ambassador of Kyoto, Japan & President, India-Japan Friendship Center, Japan and Chandra Sekhar Academy, Puri, Odisha & Kyoto, Japan.
Exquisite stalls by Govt. of Japan Tourism (JNTO), Govt. of India Tourism & Odisha Tourism have displayed & distributed leaflets, cards of Buddhism sites as well as important tourist destinations so as to attract & educate people of either side to visit these rare sites. Japanese food stalls have served mouth watering dishes that made a craze among youths to have them.
The magic spell of Odishan artists Lingaraj Das in Tabla & Satyaban Sethi in Sitar while jointly playing with Japanese musicians overwhelmed thousands of audience in an awesome ecstasy.
While addressing audience Consul General praised organisers for hosting such festivals that widen the relationship between Japan & Odisha. Odisha being at the same side south-east of Japan has a straight sea route from Bay of Bengal to Pacific & its logistics like road, transportation , port , airport etc. are up to the mark except few more ports required for smooth transportation of goods & materials, added Taga. Chandra Sekhar Academy, Puri being the only school in Odisha where Japanese language & culture has been taught from elementary to senior secondary (+2) level. And also the school has its international branch in Kyoto, Japan, said Taga while interacting media. It’s promising that more & more Odia youths are learning Japanese language while Odia culinary, dress code , etiquette & habitat have left a mark on Japanese people, he said while edifying the cultural heritage. Odishi & Sambalpuri dance along with sand art have long since been popular in Japan , he added further. Festivals & cultural concerts are to be organised in different Indian cities as these are prelude to each other’s culture & habitat , added Taga. Japan has given much more importance to these socio-cultural activities. Skilled Odia youths having little exposure to Japanese language can have bright future in Japanese companies in Japan & in India, he said further.
We have been celebrating this fest every year as a commemorative endeavour between Odisha & Japan that helps make a bridge to pass over either side, said Dash while addressing audience. Through culture, education, tourism , commerce & industry we can enrich each other while sharing technology and resources. The age old Japanese festival Gion Matsuri in Kyoto has a lot of similarity with Chariot festival of Odisha (Rath Yatra) and so every year my Japanese friends come here to make a chariot in the image of original cart Nandighose to be driven along amid chanting & clapping of cymbals , added Dash. India is a big country with vast population & Japan is a high tech country. India is having lots of raw materials & man power. If Indian resources are met with Japanese technology there shall be abundant yield & growth, said Dash while answering media people.
CHANDRA SEKHAR ACADEMY - Puri, Odisha, India & Kyoto, Japan
http://www.chandrasekharacademy.com/
India Japan Friendship Center, Japan
https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOVqzovHbystO1V4c1I926IbpsIYbsvzz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo-LX1EUZN8&list=PLOVqzovHbystO1V4c1I926IbpsIYbsvzz&index=1
Two days Odisha Japan festival 8-9 Feb, 2020 bid adieu on Sunday’s closing ceremony in the holy city of Puri, Odisha (India). More than hundred Japanese arti...
