The 15th Puri Beach Festivalwill be inaugurated on the beautiful golden beach of Puri on November 23, 2009. The 5-day festival will be jointly hosted by Puri Hotel Association (PHA), Tourism Department of India, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, and non-government agencies.
The event will be inaugurated by Devi Prasad Mishra, Orissa Tourism Minister, and Maheswar Mohanty, Chairman - Puri Beach Festival Organizing Committee by lighting the lamp at the lotus feet of Lord Jagannath Mahapravu. The Tourism Minister said that the weeklong festival will also observe international exposure, as the cultural troupes of SAARC countries will also participate in the event.
She further elaborated that the festival aims at showcasing rich folk art traditions of the state, along with exhibitions of Orissa’s handlooms, handicrafts and cuisine. She also said that the focus of the festival is to increase the number of pilgrims and tourists flocking to Puri. Puri Beach Festival is one of the oldest of its kind in India, with colorful carnival and fun loving spirit of the state.
