US students all praise for city monuments

On Sunday as the Ekamra Walks, the only guided heritage walk of the city, entered its 31st edition, a group of 12 students from the famous College of Charleston (CofC), downtown South Carolina, USA, joined the event and had a beautiful time with the monuments and later also with the Odishi dance recital at the Art Vision, the institute of noted Odishi danseuse Ileana Citaristi.

However, the heritage walk resulted in a great platform for cultural exchange as the students of College of Charleston had a nice interaction with other student members and general participants.

Students from ICICI Skill Academy, Bhubaneswar and five members from two leading sea food processing and export firms and an entrepreneur were the other participants, who made the heritage walk a memorable event.

Professor Christine Finnan, who teaches social anthropology and education, led the students, who are part of a delegation of a student exchange programme of the city-based Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences, said, “Though I came to Bhubaneswar during 2014 and 2015, this heritage walk was a wonderful experience as the students learnt a lot through their journey in the Old City area.’’

Lavren, a student from the College of Charleston, said the event was an awesome experience for them.

Crystina, another student of the CoFC said, “The old monuments and the wonderful architecture has actually created a lasting impression in our minds and the Odishi dance recital by the disciples of Ileana Citaristi was also captivating one.’’

Among others, Principal Secretary Tourism Arti Ahuja and Director Tourism Nitin Bhnudas Jawle joined. They also interacted with the visitors after the Odishi dance recital at the Art Vision.

It can be mentioned here that the heritage walk is an initiative of the Bhubaneswar Development Authority, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and Odisha Tourism and De Tour Odisha. Till date around 1,200 visitors from 20 nations have participated in the heritage walk.