Nabarangpur, 22nd Oct 2025: A preparatory meeting for Mandai Mahotsav – 2025 was held at the local Mission Shakti Conference Hall under the chairmanship of Dr. Maheswar Swain, District Collector and Chairman of the District Cultural Council.
Attendees included School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond, Nabarangpur MLA Gauri Shankar Majhi, Superintendent of Police Sandeep Sampad Madkar, Additional District Magistrate (General) Tapan Kumar Khuntia, Additional District Magistrate (Revenue) Biswajit Barman, Nabarangpur Municipality Chairperson Kunu Nayak, and Umarkote Municipality Chairperson Radha Bhatra, among others.
The meeting began with the Collector welcoming everyone. District Culture Officer Ghasia Harijan then presented the agenda. The Mandai Mahotsav, representing the rich heritage, culture, and traditions of Nabarangpur, plays a vital role in bringing hidden local talents to light and facilitating cultural exchange.
Key Highlights from the Meeting:
The inaugural ceremony of this year’s Mandai Festival will begin on November 25 at Podagada, in the Umarkote block.
The main district-level celebrations will be held from December 12 to 16 at the new Mandai grounds.
The festival will begin on December 12 with the worship of Maa Bhandargharani, followed by a cultural procession to the Mandai venue.
The meeting covered detailed discussions on:
Land worship (Bhumi Pujan)
Stage preparation committee
Guest invitations
Selection of cultural troupes
Traffic management
Security and law & order
Desia drama arrangements
Reception committee
Publicity and promotion
Pallishree fair stalls
Food stalls
Souvenir (Smaranika)
Poetry recitation events, and more.
One key decision taken was to ban laser shows and recorded dance programs in this year’s cultural lineup.
From ORMAS (Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society), 370 stalls will be constructed at the Mandai grounds, categorized as follows:
100 commercial stalls
110 departmental stalls
25 food stalls
120 SHG (Self Help Group) stalls
15 miscellaneous stalls
Participants like Arjun Tripathy, Muna Tripathy, Kahnu Das, and other intellectuals from the town shared valuable feedback regarding challenges faced in previous festivals and suggestions for successful implementation this year.
The meeting saw participation from:
Officers from various departments associated with Mandai Festival
All Block Development Officers (BDOs)
Chairpersons and members of different committees
Writers, poets, distinguished personalities
Former public representatives
Representatives from cultural organizations and institutions
Media personnel
The session concluded with a vote of thanks by Additional District Magistrate Biswajit Barman.
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