Sona Mohapatra Honors Odisha's Art Village on Utkal Diwas

Taking to Instagram, Sona shared glimpses and reflections from Raghurajpur, a renowned crafts village known for preserving traditional art forms. She described the village as a place where "art is not curated, it is inherited," emphasizing how creativity is deeply woven into everyday life.

"This is Raghurajpur, an artist village in my state where art is not curated, it is inherited. I come from this land where art is not a profession... it is prayer," she wrote in the caption.

She noted that in Raghurajpur, every home functions as an atelier and many residents are nationally recognised artists. She added that each artist carries forward centuries-old traditions, acting as custodians of a rich cultural lineage.

"Every home in this village , an atelier. Also national award winner. Every artist, a custodian of centuries," she added.

Expressing pride in her origins, the singer said she comes from a land where art is not merely a profession but a form of prayer, defined by unmatched artistry, discipline, and soul.

"On Utkal Diwas, I bow to my roots in Odisha... We don't follow aesthetics. We are the aesthetic," she wrote.

Odisha Day, also Utkal Dibasa, is celebrated on 1 April in the Indian state of Odisha in memory of the formation of the state as a separate state out of Bihar and Orissa Province with addition of undivided Koraput District and Ganjam District from the Madras Presidency on 1 April 1936.

Sona's first ventures in the music industry started with advertising. In 2007, she released her debut album, Sona, which sought to explore the diverse styles of rock, rhythm and blues, Flamenco, Hindustani, Baul and Romani music.

In 2009, she released the single Diljale & Paas Aao Na in the same year. She sang the song "Bedardi Raja" in the movie Delhi Belly for Aamir Khan Productions and did a cameo in it.

She has also sung the theme songs "Mujhe Kya Bechega Rupaiya" and "Ghar Yaad Aata Hai Mujhe" for the TV show Satyamev Jayate.

- IANS