Naveen Patnaik requests Centre to accord classical status to Odissi music

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urged the Centre to confer classical status to Odishi music, one of the very ancient forms of music in the country.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urged the Centre to confer classical status to Odissi music, one of the very ancient forms of music in the country.

The state cabinet has recently approved the proposal in this regard.

Patnaik, in a letter to Union Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel on Friday, said: "It is a matter of concern that Odissi music, the tradition of which dates back almost to second century BC is yet to be recognised as classical music by the Government of India."

He said the Odissi music, which is based on written Sastra and its own core Raga, has a distinctive rendition style based on codified grammar, the characteristic giti system of classical texts and having its own tala, different from Hindust and Karnatak music.

The Odissi music has all the requisite characteristics to be recognised as classical music, he added.

The Odisha Chief Minister further pointed out that the state government has undertaken pioneering efforts to get classical status for Odissi music at the institutional level.

"A milestone in the path of promotion of the culture, art, music and tradition of Odisha was the establishment of the Utkal University of Culture way back in the year 1999, by the Odisha Government," Patnaik said in the letter.

"The Heritage Cabinet in its meeting held on September 2, 2020, decided to draw the attention of union government towards according classical status to Odissi music. I request you to consider to confer classical status to Odissi music," he said.

( With inputs from ANI )