Bhubaneswar: The 8th foundation day of OdishaLinks, a rapidly rising name in the digital media landscape, held at Bhanjakala Mandap in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.
Graced by Odisha’s Minister of Sports, Youth Affairs, Odia Language, Literature & Culture, and Higher Education, Suraj Suryavanshi, as the chief guest, the event saw an emotional high with the staging of the devotional play ‘Adrushya Jagannath’ (The Invisible Jagannath) under the direction of Bapu Ojha.
Among other dignitaries in attendance were acclaimed actress Anu Choudhury, BJP leader Sajjan Sharma, ex-MLA Priyadarshi Mishra, and researcher Anil Dhir. The evening also honoured notable contributors to media and public service including journalists Atulya Mohanty, Shamim Qureshi, and Haraprasad, along with entrepreneurs Narayan and Prakash Das.
While addressing, Minister Suryavanshi remarked, “Life doesn’t need to be long; it needs to be impactful. Despite being a small team, OdishaLinks has delivered impactful journalism—from covering disasters in Odisha to national events like the Ayodhya Ram Mandir inauguration and the Kumbh Mela.”
The emotional centerpiece of the evening was the play ‘Adrushya Jagannath’, staged by the artistes of DISHA, directed and written by Bapu Ojha, a heartfelt devotional drama that tugged at the heartstrings of the audience.
The evening was seamlessly anchored by Er Shrinivas Ghatuari.
The play follows Dayanidhi, a poor, differently-abled man who paints Lord Jagannath’s images to support his blind wife and children. Life hits rock bottom when he falls ill and borrows money from a harsh village lender, Chandi Budhi, who, along with her henchman begins tormenting his family.
Haunted by recurring dreams of Lord Jagannath, Dayanidhi one night finds himself in a mysterious forest. There, a sage leads him into a cave under one condition. Inside, he meets four other sages who question him. Dayanidhi answers truthfully, only to learn that they are none other than the Pancha Sakha, the five great saints of Odisha. They grant him a divine vision of Lord Jagannath.
He awakens from the dream miraculously cured—and discovers that his blind children have also regained their sight. A new dawn breaks over their lives, thanks to divine intervention.
The powerful message the play gave was “God’s grace never fails a true devotee.”
While a large ensemble of 20+ actors—including Samir Tripathy, Niranjan Acharya, Rakesh Parida, Nabin Kumar and child artiste Ayush Behera—gave compelling performances that earned thunderous applause, Jagabandhu Panda Lakshmipriya Senapati (Pihu), Seema Sahu and Duryodhan Das did justice to their characters as Dayanidhi, his wife Shakuntala, Chandi Ma, the ruthless moneylender and her brutal henchman Duryodhan respectively.
The audience enjoyed the play till the last scene.
Behind the Curtains
Direction & Script: Bapu OjhaMusic & Co-Direction: RajkumarStage Design: BidhanLighting: Alok–Bikash PradhanCostumes: Mama
