Bhubaneswar: The National Theatre Festival “Purvaranga–2026” kicked off on Friday at Rabindra Mandap, Bhubaneswar, under the aegis of the Department of Odia Language, Literature and Culture, in collaboration with the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi and the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, Kolkata.
The opening evening featured the play “Nisango Ishwar,” written by Suman Shah and Soham Gupta and directed by Suman Shah. The performances by Suman Shah and Chandrani Sarkar captivated the audience. The play beautifully portrayed the devotion of a devotee towards their deity.
At the inaugural ceremony, Secretary of the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi, Dr. Chandra Sekhar Hota, eminent theatre director Manoj Kumar Pattnaik, Mihir Meher, Subodh Pattnaik, and Lala Biren Ray were present.
On the occasion of World Theatre Day, the guests extended their greetings and congratulations to all artists. They stated that Indian theatrical tradition is timeless and that theatre presents the realities of society before audiences.
They added that calling the theatre a mirror of society would not be an exaggeration. They expressed hope that audiences would appreciate all the plays being staged at the festival and said the event would help the younger generation understand the country’s rich cultural heritage.
The festival will continue till March 31.
