The following is from http://orissa.gov.in/ekamra/utsav.html.

Bhubaneswar, the capital of modern Orissa, is a happy combination of old world charms and new world comforts. The scriptures refer to the ancient Bhubaneswar as the Ekamra Kshetra, literally meaning ‘mango orchards’ which remind us the union of Lord Shiva with Goddess Parvati. The blending of modernity with tradition here is impeccable. While the ancient city is 2600 years old, the modern city came into existence in 1948 as the new capital of Orissa, designed by the German Architect O.H. Koeingsberges. It is said that there were about seven thousand temples here, which earned it the coveted title of the ‘Temple City of India’. Even today from the hundreds of temples that still stand majestically as mute witness of a glorious past, one can study the chronological development of temple architecture from the beginning in the 7th Century AD to its culmination in the 13th Century AD. It is a centre of art and craft, manifest in the dazzling array of products like stone sculptures, pata paintings, palm-leaf etching, silver filigree, papier mache, etc. which is a shoppers’ delight. The classical Odissi Dance and Music have a solid foundation here fondly nourished by illustrious Gurus. The city has also distinguished itself as an important IT Centre and Software Technology Park as well as an ideal Venue for Conference and Conventions to do business with pleasure.

Around Bhubaneswar lies Dhauli in the South which witnessed the great battle of Kalinga in 261 BC after which Emperor Ashok embraced Buddhism and spread the message of peace to the world. Closeby are the remains of Sisupalgarh believed to be the earlier capital of Kalinga. On the west are the twin hills of Khandagiri-Udayagiri honeycombed with rock-cut caves built for the Jain ascetics during the illustrious emperor Kharavela in the 2nd century BC.

Bhubaneswar has, however, been mostly popular as the city of temples among the tourists. But the cultural efflorescence of the city goes beyond the temples. To familiarize the tourists with the larger canvas of the place covering Art & Crafts, Dance & Music, Handicrafts & Handlooms, etc., a Mega Festival titled Ekamra- The Temple City festival has been conceived. This 14-day event will also feature a Food Festival and a Mini Marathon will add spice to this year’s Utsav. The festival of promises to be an experience of a lifetime.

The highlights, as listed in http://orissa.gov.in/ekamra/highlights.html, are:

Components

Venue

Date

Toshali National Crafts Mela
(All India Handicrafts & Handloom

Exhibition and Cultural Programme

Janta Maidan

15th – 27th Feb 08

Mini Marathon

To be Flagged off at Kalinga Stadium traverse through the important inter sections of Bhubaneswar city (15 km)

17th Feb 08

Mukteswar Dance Festival

Mukteswar-Parsurameswar temple premises

17th – 19th Feb 08

Kalinga Mahotsav

Shanti Stupa, Dhauli

23rd –24th Feb 08

Ekamra Food Festival

Exhibition Ground

20th – 27th Feb 08

Rajarani Music Festival

Rajarani Temple Complex

26th – 28th Feb 08

 

Additional Details:

Toshali National Crafts Mela

The Toshali National Crafts Mela has been setup in a rural ambience and is having over 150 National & State award winning handicraft and handloom artisans from all over India. Rural Tourism, Live Demonstration and Workshops will feature the main theme of the Mela.

Cuisines, representing the flavours of India combined with a strong component of day performance and evening cultural programmes have become a major draw in the Mela. The highlight of the cultural evenings will be the scintillating programmes to be presented by exponents of Indian Classical and Folk Dance & Music, Gahzal, etc.

Date

1st Session
06.00 – 06.30 PM

2nd Session
06.30 – 07.00 PM

3rd Session
07.00 – 07.30 PM

4th Session
07.30 – 08.00 PM

1st Day/ 15-02-08

Odissi Dance

Rekha Tandan

Shankha Dhwani, Ranapa & Chadheya Gangeswar Jugala Sankhabadya, Narendrapur, Ganjam

Dhan Koila

Kala Tirtha, Badamba, Cuttack

Folk Dance

To be sponsored by EZCC, Kolkata/ Song & Drama Division, Kolkata

2nd Day/ 16-02-08

Gazal

Baboo Panigrahi

Sambalpuri

Ektara Kala Kendra, Titilagarh

Katha Kandhei

Maguni Charan Kunara, Keonjhar

Do

3rd Day/ 17-02-08

Odissi Dance

Pratibha Panda

Gotipua

Maguni Das & Group, Raghurajpur, Puri

Ghoda Nach

Uchhab Das & Group Choudwar, Cuttack

Do

4th Day/ 18-02-08

Odissi Music

Mohapatra Minati Bhanja

Chhow Dance

Uttarasahi Chhow Nrutya Pratisthan, Baripada

Chutku Chuta

Dulduli Kala Parishad,  Balangir

Do

5th Day/ 19-02-08

Ghazal

Shri Pankaj Udhas

 

6th Day/ 20-02-08

Kathaka
Susmita Banerjee

Naga Nacha

Shrikshetra Hanuman Jayanti Anustan, Puri

Sambalpuri

Mahanadi Sahitya Sansad, Sonepur

Do

7th Day
21-02-08

Ghazal

Shri J. Hariharan

8th Day
22-02-08

Geeta Gobinda

Sulagna Nanda

Animal Dance

Biswa Janani Kala Parishad, Bhanjanagar

Paika Akhada

Bachhera, Jatrni, Khurda

Do

9th Day
23-02-08

Odissi Dance

Raminder Khurana

Jhumer

Mayurbhanja Sangeet Nrutya Vikash Samiti, Rairangpur

Sambalpuri

Sankar Prasad Behera & Troupe, Loisinga, Balangir

Do
Do

10th Day/ 24-02-08

Odissi Vocal

Mamata Parija

Bangiri & Sadaras

BSA, Kesinga, Kalahandi

Sambalpuri

Sanskrutika, Padmapur, Bargarh

Do

11th Day/ 25-02-08

Odissi Dance

Masako

Sambalpuri

Dhol-Mahuri Anusthan, Nuapara

Folk Dance

Rangam, BBSR

Do

12th Day/ 26-02-08

Bharatnatyam

Ku. Rashmi Dave

Sanchar

Achyuta Behera, Tabada, Baragarh

Sambalpuri
Nupur, Barpali

Do

13th Day/ 27-02-08

Odissi Dance

Gajendra Panda

Laudi & Ogala

Laxmidhara Barik & Group, Bhadrak

Chadheya -Chadheyani
Nayagarh

Do

 

Mini Marathon

Orissa Mining Corporation ltd. is going to organise the 2nd Mini Marathon in Bhubaneswar on 17th February 2008 on the occasion of Ekamra – The Temple City Festival. The Marathon shall be flagged off from Kalinga Stadium by Hon’ble Chief Minister, Orissa and it shall traverse through the important inter sections of Bhubaneswar City covering about 15 km and shall terminate in Kalinga Stadium. The Marathon, besides being a run for fun, aims at propagating the message Run for a Green Orissa. The registration of participation shall be enrolled from 12th to 15th February 2008 in the Office of PRO, OMC Head Office, Bhubaneswar from 3.00 PM to 5.00 PM and on 16th February registration will be made at Kalinga Stadium from 11.00 AM to 5.00 PM.

Mukteswar Dance Festival

The small and elegant Mukteswar Temple with its famous stone arch at the entrance is the gem of Orissan Architecture. The temple is also important as a transition point between the early and later phases of Kalinga School of Architecture for which this dance festival is named after the said temple. The sprawling green lawn in between Mukteswar-Parsurameswar Temple Complexes will host the event.

Date

Chorus (Shiva Bandana)
06.00 – 06.15 PM

Solo Odissi
06.15 – 06.40 PM

Duet Odissi
06.40 – 07.20 PM

Group Odissi
07.20 – 08.20 PM

17-02-08

Bijoy Jena & Group

Madhubrata Satapathy, Rourkela

Rahul Acharya & Debasis Patnak

Suravi, Bhubaneswar

18-02-08

Saswati Social Cultural Centre, Bhubaneswar

Leesa Mohanty, Mumbai

Odissa Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, Bhubaneswar

Roopshree Mohapatra, Puri

19-02-08

Shantilata Chhotray & Group

Meera Das

Lingaraj Pradhan & Amulya Balabantray

Dona Ganguly & Group, Kolkata

Kalinga Mahotsav

When people celebrate their heritage and ways of life, the spirit of revelry crosses languages, continents and cultures. And the Kalinga Mahotsav at Dhauli, a festival of Martial Dances, is celebrated very much in that spirit.

For the people of Orissa Dhauli hill at the outskirts of Bhubaneswar is more a living experience than a memory. Twenty three hundred years ago, their fore-fathers fought one of the fiercest battles in human history against Emperor Ashok. They suffered loss of a hundred thousand men, lost the war, but gained immortality, because they metamorphosed a warring monarch into an apostle of non-violence and peace. The festival is a fitting tribute to the victory of Peace over War where renowned dancers of India perform harmonising the vigour of martial art with sublime dance forms.

The calm and solemn statue of Buddha overlooking the entire stage from the top of the stupa and the tranquil expanse of the countryside populated by paddy fields and cashew plantations provides the peaceful background to the outburst of movements and sounds which accompany the performance of the martial artists. The aim of the organisers is to harmonise the vigour of martial tradition with the sublimity of peace through the art of dance.

Date 06.00 – 06.15 PM 06.15 – 06.40 PM 06.40 – 07.20 PM

23-02-08

South Korean
Folk Dance

Fauzer Singh & Troupe, Punjab

Tatteta Gullu,
Andhra Pradesh

24-02-08

Tibetan
Martial Dance

Fauzer Singh & Troupe, Punjab

Paika Dance

Rajarani Music Festival

Celestial music, sublime surroundings and soothing climes of late winter—soul traverses to an elevated sphere leaving you utterly relaxed. Holidays are made with this kind of experience that creates a lasting mark in your mind.

Rajarani Music Festival held against the backdrop of the 11th century Rajarani Temple in Bhubaneswar is such an evening of concerts: it’s relaxing, entertaining and uplifting. The city has a large assemblage of celebrated temples of which the Rajarani Temple is one of the most conspicuous. It’s remarkable for the absence any presiding deity in it. The temple is famous for its ornate deul or compass and the statues of eight Dikpals guarding the eight cardinal directions of the temple.

To show case the glorious tradition of Indian classical music, the Rajarani Music Festival was conceived to be organized by the Department of Tourism in association with Bhubaneswar Music Circle.

The musical evenings are resplendent with excellent performances by the great maestros of Indian classical music creating an allegory of darbari gayans (musical performances in an Indian king’s court) of age old histories.

Eminent instrumentalists and vocalists of India have rendered scintillating performance in this festival over the years.

 Date

6.00 – 7.00 PM

7.00 – 8.00 PM

26-02-08

Hindustani Vocal
Smt. Bandita Ray, Bhubaneswar

Hindustani Instrumental – Sitar
Pandit Niladri Kumar, Mumbai

27-02-08

Odissi Vocal
Smt. Shyamamani Devi, Cuttack

Carnatic Instrumental – Violin
Padmabhusan T. N. Krishnan, Chennai

28-02-08

Hindustani Instrumental – Violin
Smt. K. Bhubaneswari

Hindustani Vocal
Pandit Upendra Bhatta, Pune