Bhubaneswar: The three-day Rajarani Music Festival–2026 got underway on Thursday on the premises of the historic Rajarani Temple, Bhubaneswar. Organised jointly by the Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department and the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi, the festival will run till January 18.
Inaugurating the festival as the chief guest, Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan described the Rajarani Music Festival as a vibrant reflection of India’s rich culture and tradition.
He remarked that classical and traditional music have given Odisha and the country a distinct identity at the international level. Extending his greetings and congratulations to the participating musicians and classical music lovers present on the occasion, Union Minister Shri Pradhan also felicitated eminent Odissi music guru Achyuta Maharana, renowned music scholar Pandit Suresh Talwalkar and all the artists who performed during the inaugural evening.
The opening evening began on an enchanting note with Guru Achyuta Maharana and his ensemble presenting soulful Odissi vocal renditions. The performance opened with the raga-based composition “Nishi Natha Badani” in Raga Bajrakanti and Jati Tala, followed by “Manu Jau Nahin Ma” in Raga Shankarabharanam and Rupak Tala, the natyanga “Na Ja Yamuna”, and concluded with the bhajan “Kanja Charane”, composed by Singhari Damodar and Singhari Shyam Sundar.
Guru Achyuta Maharana mesmerised the audience with his raga elaboration and emotionally rich presentation. He was ably accompanied by Guru Sachchidananda Das on mardala, Dr Jawahar Mishra on flute, Guru Muralidhar Swain on harmonium and Mamata Srichandan and Sangeeta Nayak on tanpura.
The second performance of the evening featured a powerful Tala Kirtan presentation by Pandit Suresh Talwalkar and his team. His intricate rhythmic patterns, creative use of taans and sargams and mastery over percussion techniques held the audience spellbound.
He was accompanied by Ameya Bichu on harmonium, Shabari Talwalkar and Kaustubh Swain on tabla, Ishan Pramod Paranjpe on konnakol, Abhishek Bhuruk on drums and Nadukkandi Vinayadas Ramadasan on vocals.
The Odissi music and tala kirtan performances received an enthusiastic response from the audience. The selfie point at the festival venue also attracted a large number of young visitors.
Among those present at the inaugural function were Odia Language, Literature and Culture Minister Shri Suryabanshi Suraj, Ekamra MLA Shri Babu Singh, former MLA Shri Jayanta Kumar Sarangi, Secretary of the Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department Dr Bijaya Ketan Upadhyay, Additional Secretary Shri Deb Prasad Dash and Secretary of the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi Dr Chandrashekhar Hota.
