Sun Temple: Tableau modelled on Konark temple wins award at US fest | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: A tableau modelled on the Unesco heritage site of Sun Temple, Konark, won the best design prize at the Festival of India, Fremont in California (Silicon Valley) from the 60 tableaux showcased at the festival by different Indian states.
The tableau was made by volunteers of Festival of Globe (FOG), Odisha wing, and Cupertino-Bhubaneswar Sister City Organisation.FOG is a 32-year-old organisation of Indian Americans of Northern California (FIA). It organizes Odisha-specific programmes for Federation of Indian Americans of Northern California (FIANC).
The tableau made up of plywood, styrofoam, grass mat, Odia paintings and write-ups, was a 3D depiction of the Sun Temple. Tableau-making involved designing, carpentry, paintings and food. It took three weeks for 10 volunteers, all Silicon Valley engineers and entrepreneurs, to make and mount it on a 24ft truck for the festival.
“Making the tableau was physically demanding as there was a lot of carpentry work involved,” Mahesh Pakala, who is currently in the chair of FOG, Odisha, said.
The entire amount of $2000 for making of the tableau was borne by the volunteers. Dancers, dressed in quintessential Sambalpuri attire, accompanied the tableau dancing to the tune of popular folk number ‘Rangabati Rangabati Kanka Lata’. The event was attended by over 50,000 people, both from the Indian diaspora and foreigners. The prize was given by chairman of FOG, Dr Romesh Japra.
Members of Odisha Society of the Americas, NYNJPA chapter, showcased Odia culture and heritage at the different events organised to celebrate India’s independence in New York this month. At the function organised by the Indian Consulate, OSA members presented a patriotic dance on the theme ‘Jayatu Bharatam’ choreographed by Guru Bani Ray.
“It was an amalgamation of Odissi, Sambalpuri and Bihu dance forms and we were given 5 to 6 minutes to perform,” Nilasundar Jena, president, OSA, NYNJPA, said. OSA members also participated in the India Day parade, hosted by the Federation of Indian Association on August 18, after 20 years.
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