Kamala Desa Raj Kumara - Prafulla Kar, the Legend Turns 80

As usual, 15th and 16th February were days of delightful celebration for Oriya music lovers. Padmashri Prafulla Kar's Birthday is celebrated by the PKF (Prafulla Kar Foundation) on those days at a public venue, with free entry. A galaxy of Oriya superstar singers generally grace the occasion and the evening reverberates with tunes of Old Oriya Songs from decades back.

This year the celebrations were even more special as the legend turned 80 years. This year also marked another change. The absence of veteran Singer Shri Chitta Jena. The singer, who was a long time friend of Prafulla Kar, was a regular attendee at his soirees. It was Chitta Jena's mellifluous voice which made many of Prafulla Kar's compositions jewels of Odia Music.

Whoever can forget "Mo Priya Tharu Kiye Adhika Sundara" from the movie Sindura Bindu? A visibly moved Shri Kar narrated how he had composed the song on a terrace and Chitta Jena had lent his voice.

Music legend Pranab Pattnaik sang a few songs. Hindi singer Sarika Singh lent her jazzy voice to some Oriya tunes like "jhumka tike tu ta halei de"

Here are some memorable photos from the occasion.