Varanasi: The colours, flavours, craftsmanship and living traditions of Odisha came alive in Varanasi as Odisha Parab commenced at Deendayal Hastkala Sankul – Trade Facilitation Centre & Crafts Museum on Saturday.

The event brought Odisha’s rich cultural heritage and diverse tourism experiences to the sacred city of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

Organised by the Department of Tourism, in association with FICCI as the industry partner, Odisha Parab is being supported by the Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department; Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts Department; Mission Shakti; Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS); and Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC).

The event will continue till August 24

The three-day celebration will continue till August 24, offering visitors an immersive experience of Odisha through its crafts, cuisine, performing arts, traditions and tourism destinations.

The day began with the inauguration of the Odisha Parab exhibition by Deputy Chief Ministers KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida. The dignitaries toured the exhibition and food stalls, interacting with artisans, entrepreneurs and participants and witnessing the wide range of crafts, handlooms, traditional products and culinary offerings representing Odisha’s diverse cultural landscape.

The exhibition features 32 stalls, including 22 craft stalls and 10 cuisine stalls. The craft section showcases traditional and contemporary art forms including Pattachitra, palm-leaf engraving, Dhokra, silver filigree, handloom, Kotpad textiles, brass and bronze crafts, jute products and other handicrafts.

Visitors can enjoy traditional Odia cuisine 

Visitors can also witness live demonstrations of Pattachitra, palm-leaf engraving, silver filigree and Dhokra, offering an opportunity to understand the skill, patience and traditional knowledge passed down through generations.

The food stalls present the distinctive culinary traditions of Odisha, featuring traditional Odia cuisine, Pitha, sweets, Dahibara Aloodum, traditional snacks, millet-based products and Koraput Coffee, along with other regional specialities. The exhibition has been designed not merely as a display of products, but as an opportunity for visitors to meet the people behind Odisha’s living traditions — artisans, weavers, entrepreneurs and community groups — and experience the stories and skills that give these traditions their distinctive character.

Odisha's tourism potential on full display 

The evening witnessed the formal inaugural ceremony of Odisha Parab, bringing together senior leadership and officials from Odisha and Uttar Pradesh to celebrate the cultural and tourism relationship between the two states.

The inaugural day also set the stage for a vibrant cultural programme showcasing Odisha’s performing traditions, including Odissi, Gotipua and Sambalpuri, along with a rich repertoire of folk and traditional performances.

A dedicated tourism showcase at Odisha Parab presents the State’s diverse tourism potential, highlighting destinations such as Puri and Konark, the Buddhist heritage circuit of Ratnagiri, Udayagiri and Lalitgiri, and natural and wildlife destinations including Chilika, Bhitarkanika and Similipal.

The showcase also highlights Odisha’s growing portfolio of eco-tourism, wildlife, adventure and experiential tourism, offering visitors a glimpse into the many ways in which Odisha can be experienced.