Last Update: January 26, 2023, 16:43 IST
Family members of Netherlands hockey team visit a village in Odisha during FIH World Cup 2023 (News18)
Eighteen members of the Netherlands hockey team and their families spent over three hours at Birpurosattampur Bahman Sahi villages in Pipili block of Puri district.
Family members of Netherlands hockey team players visited a village in Puri district and spent time with the villagers. They were overwhelmed by the village atmosphere and hospitality and enjoyed the Odissi dances.
Eighteen members of the Netherlands hockey team spent over three hours at Birpurosattampur Bahman Sahi villages in Pipili block of Puri district
The people of Birapurushottampur village in Puri district got a chance to spend time with the families of the players of the hockey team.
The local people welcomed all the guests with traditional rituals near the Jagannath Temple and offered green coconut as a welcome drink. The villagers performed Odisha dance, served Prasad and cooked food for them.
Foreigners were very pleased with the hospitality of the villagers. The visitors also cooked and served food for the Dalit people living in the village.
“I really appreciate them for showing the villagers their culture and how the people here live. It’s an opportunity to see and spend time with the villagers and enjoy it.” said a foreign guest.
Odissi dancer Subhashree Barik said, “I feel proud to perform Odissi dance for foreign tourists. When Orissa people are going abroad to perform Orissa dance, I got the opportunity to perform famous dance for foreign guest at my native place. I performed Odisha based on Jagannath culture, Shiva Tandab. I am very happy”
Quality for Life Foundation, a non-governmental organization (NGO), organized a short tour of Purushottampur for the tourists. He enjoyed singing Odissi based on Shri Jagannath culture. He also discussed the problems faced by the villagers in their daily life.
“We are very happy to spend time with the foreign guests. We welcomed all the guests according to our culture. We did a cultural program and served them food. It will be memorable for us” said a villager.
Basant Barik, Odisha head (NGO) of Quality for Life Foundation said, “The short stay was very pleasant. The guests were warmly welcomed and offered green coconuts as a welcome drink. The cultural program presented by the villagers They enjoyed themselves. They were very pleased with the hospitality of the villagers.”
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