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By Debasis Barik
Bhubaneswar: “I have attended all the six Raahgiri events so far and will certainly attend the remaining Sundays as well. I can’t explain how I feel after attending this one-of-a-kind event,” said P K Das, a 64-year old Bhubaneswar resident, who was seen dancing like there is no tomorrow on the 7th Raahgiri Day at Janpath on Sunday morning, which was attended by more than 60,000 people.
When asked what he found so exciting about the event, Das said: “It has everything. It’s a complete package of music, dance, drama and much more.”
Das, who is a music lover, said he arrived at the venue at around 6 am for morning walk. By the time the event starts - and especially when music bands are ready to perform - he comes in front of the stage to dance with city youths.
As the event is turning bigger and better with each passing week, visitors from all ages - a three-month-old toddler to a 94-year old senior citizen - are thronging the venue in ever greater numbers making it to look like a ‘Mini Bali Yatra’.
The robotics show titled “Fun with Robo”, which was initiated for the first time by city-based SakRobotix, engaged the crowd with its interesting acts performed by miniature, command-driven robots.
Besides children, elders too were excited to witness a talking robot.
Games like football, volleyball and painting exhibitions kept the public engrossed for a good three and a half hours.
To make the Sundays even more interesting, popular Odia actor Papu Pom Pom and mythological figure “Kamsa” took the stage and also giggled with the crowds while doing the rounds of the venue.
If this was not enough, Keshav Swain, the Guinness Book of World Recorder for breaking maximum green coconuts in a minute, displayed his class in front of a huge, awe-struck crowd. Onlookers went berserk and the thunderous clapping did not stop as Keshav went on breaking one coconut after another.
As a street event, Raahgiri Day provides citizens the opportunity to reclaim the streets, connect with the people known and unknown and unwind in a completely informal and impromptu manner, BMC Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena said.
With temperature in the Capital City soaring, the organizer BMC has changed the time for the citizen-centric event, which starts at 6 am and finishes at 9.30 am.
