Celebrating India’s tryst with peace through Dhauli-Kalinga Mahotsav - Taalam: column by Leela Venkataraman

The sense of standing on hallowed land registers even with those aware only of the scantiest details of history, when one visits the Dhauli Hills site in 0disha, about twenty kilometres from the capital of Bhubaneswar. Where else does world history provide another example of a conqueror asking for forgiveness after winning a hard fought battle - the ravages of war with bloodshed and suffering humanity, turning river Daya flowing through the area into Nirdaya (one without spirit of sympathy for mankind), with crimson water soaked with the blood of fallen heroes. It was here that King Ashoka took his epoch marking vow, changing the course of world history - that henceforth, forsaking war, he would conquer hearts through love and peace alone. But for this Buddhist Emperor's messengers sent to different parts of Asia, spreading the message of the Buddha, Buddhism, instead of becoming a world force, would have remained only in India!

In the year 2003, in the premises of the Peace Pagoda atop the Hill, (with a small temple to Shiva, adjacent to it), the Dhauli Kalinga Mahotsav sponsored by the Tourism Department and conceived as a largely Martial Arts Festival by Italian Odissi dancer who has made Odisha her home, Ileana Citaristi, the Dhauli-Kalinga Mahotsav was established. In 2012, the festival was moved to the foot of the Hills overlooking the Peace Pagoda, on to a sumptuous stage of the Orissa Dance Academy used for its festivals organized by Guru Gangadhar Pradhan. With the changed site, the scope of the Mahotsav was enlarged by making it more inclusive with dance forms too made a part of the presentation. The sponsors are now Odia Language Literature and Culture Department of Odisha, and Orissa Dance Academy in association with Art Vision (Incredible India). Live telecast by DD Bharati has ensured wide coverage.

The large performance arena with the ceremonial oath taking by VIPs facing the Peace Pagoda and temple, holding aloft burning torches in a salutation to forsake war, along with sophisticated technology of visuals (Janardhan Raj Urs and Biswajit Das), stage designing and ambience by Lee Bliss, sound and light by Kumar Lights, and exotic sets, not to speak of innumerable dancer participants from all over the country, the Mahotsav has become a high profile event. While one would like the inner worth of art forms being preserved, not camouflaged by over played flamboyance, it is this grandeur however, which is attracting young people to attend the performances, and since dance or any other art, without interested clientele cannot survive, this attraction of young people is all to the good. And thinking organizers, by arranging special transport to Dhauli and back from Bhubaneswar and Cuttack are ensuring an excellent turnout every evening. For once, watching an audience with a large component of youngsters was wonderful and seeing tiny tots, dodging parents and running to the front to break into a jig along with what was happening on the stage, was a heartwarming sight! 

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