– Both Urdu and Odia ghazals performed on stage
– First-of-its-kind ghazal programme featuring the younger generation held in Odisha
Bhubaneswar, August 2026 : A beautiful ghazal programme titled ‘Noor and Notes’, jointly organised by Ragabhāsa and Kalinga Bhasha Muktamanch, was held at Outcast Studio in Jharpada, Bhubaneswar.
Renowned lyricist Mohit Chakraborty and ghazal singer Vaishnav Kailash attended the programme as guests. They expressed their happiness at witnessing the successful organisation of such a programme involving the younger generation in Odisha for the first time and encouraged the participants. The guests also became emotional while remembering the legendary Odia ghazal personality Akshaya Mohanty, popularly known as Khokabhai.
Odia poets and singers presented a series of popular ghazals during the programme. Young poets Swagatika Mishra, Trupti Ranjan Das, Sumit Panda and Anshuman Sahu recited popular ghazals by renowned poets including Parveen Shakir, Jaun Elia, Bashir Badr and Ahmad Faraz.
Similarly, young singers Sasmita Behera, Sudipta Mahapatra, Subhranshu Bishoyi and Amit Panda presented songs made famous by celebrated singers such as Asha Bhosle, Hariharan and Ghulam Ali, adding their own vocal interpretations to the performances.
The young poets also presented their own original Odia ghazals later in the programme. The audience enthusiastically enjoyed both Urdu and Odia ghazals. People who had purchased tickets to attend the programme expressed their happiness at experiencing such a memorable confluence of ghazal and music for the first time.
The programme began with a Vedic recitation by young poet Anshuman Sahu (Sonu). At the conclusion, Satya Shiva Sundar Das, convenor of Kalinga Bhasha Muktamanch, proposed the vote of thanks.
The artistic decorations and the seating arrangement on the floor created an attractive and intimate atmosphere for the ghazal evening. The unique presentation added to the overall appeal of the programme.
The organisers said the event marked the successful hosting of such a ghazal programme in Bhubaneswar for the first time. Satya Shiva Sundar Das said that similar ghazal programmes would be organised in new formats in the future to further promote and popularise the art form among younger generations.
