About Us
Bhanja Kala Kendra, the Cultural wing of Bhanja Cultural Trust is the premier, registered & leading Institution of Odissi Dance, Odissi Vocal & Tribal Dance and is dedicated to the legendary poet Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja. Based at the centre of Steel city Rourkela, we are struggling relentlessly for propagation and preservation of Odish an Art, Music & Dance since 1968. This Institution is housed in a 8000 sq. ft. two storied building at Bhanja Bhawan, Rourkela.
We are imparting training for last more than four decades to the budding talents by professionally competent Gurus 365 days a year. At present total student strength is 465. Periodical workshops on Odissi Dance, Odissi Vocal & Sambalpuri Dance are also being conducted by exponent of Odissi Dance (Guru Sri Durgacharan Ranvir), Odissi Vocal (Guru Sri Ramahari Das) and Sambalpuri Dance (Guru Ranjan Kumar Sahu) in order to expose our students to the latest development /trends on the above streams.
Our Training
In order to groom every student for the future and to increase their stage performance confidence level, we are organizing Monthly/ Bimonthly Dance/Music evening for our students at our Kendra. Apart from presenting Odissi Dance, Sambalpuri dance & Tribal Dance in different important functions of the state, our students have also participated in many National level Festivals.
Vedvyas Sangeet Nrutyatsav
Bhanja Kala Kendra is also organizing a Five day long annual Mega Prestigious National Festival of Classical Dance, Classical Vocal, Folk Dance & Tribal Dance of our country in the name of “Vedvyas Sangeet Nrutyatsav” since 1998. Every year 1 st to 5 th November is the time and Bhanja Bhawan open stage (80’x38’) is the venue for the above Festival. This is a unique Festival where both Classical Dance and Folk Dance/Tribal Dance are performed in the same evening on the same stage and it has created a special place for itself in the Dance & Music map of India.
Artistes of National & International repute participate in this Festival. To name a few late Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, late Guru Gangadhar Pradhan, Guru Sri Durgacharan Ranvir, Kabita Diwedi, Ranjan Gahaur, Guru Sri Ramahari Das, Dr. Vidyadhar Mishra, Indira Kadambi, Gobindan Kutty, Javerry sisters etc. were among the past participants.
'Tribhangi' - Our Annual Souvenir
We are also publishing a widely circulated annual Souvenir and a book “Tribhangi” containing valued articles/essays from eminent Writers, Poets, Critics & Research Scholars.
Bhanja Kala Kendra,have participated many National and International dance Festivals . Konark Dance festival, Barabati Festival, Goa festival, Bhilai festival, Kashmir, New Delhi, Inernational odishi dance festival & Kulu Manali festival are some among them.
Since 2011 we have started celebrating the great poet of Gitagovinda Sri Jayadeva birthday as JAYADEVA JAYANTI SAMAROHA a whole day programme followed by discussions of Jayadeva poetry and sangeet.
