Columnist
A Marathon Odissi Festival

The IPAP (Indian Performing
Art Promotions Inc.),
an organisation based
in Washington D.C. under the
enthusiastic leadership of Pratap
Das, specialises in mounting international festivals of Odissi. Its
third International Festival in the
series, held at the Orissa capital of
Bhubaneswar from 26-30 December
2006, was a marathon event spread
over three performance spaces
the Rabindra Bhavan, the mini
auditorium of the Utkal Sangeet
Mahavidyalaya in the adjoining
compound, and the newly built amphitheatre which was ideal for
group performances before large
audiences comprising the general
public. With innumerable Odissi
dancers, critics and scholars
participating, the sheer size of the
festival was mind-boggling.