The brainchild of the Odisha Design Council, the inaugural edition of the Odisha Design Week was held in 2021 with an aim to “bridge the gap between the rich cultural heritage of the state and modern design practices from around the world”.
Comprising exhibitions, workshops, panel discussions and heritage tours, the biennale festival promotes “innovative design techniques that augment the sustainable economic development of the state, which in turn leads to the growth of the national economy”. The 2021 edition, executed in a hybrid format, showcased 52 types of local crafts from appliqué work and filigree to stonework, woodwork and puppetry and featured 30 speakers including Satish Gokhale and Pradyumna Vyas.
Check out more design festivals here.
How to reach Bhubaneswar
1. By Air: Biju Patnaik Airport is the main domestic airport and is located about 3 km from the city. Travellers can get flights from metros such as Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kolkata to Bhubaneswar flights.
2. By Rail: Bhubaneswar Railway Station is the main railway station of the city and is situated in the centre of the city. Superfast and other passenger trains are easily available from this station. You can get trains to Guwahati, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and many other cities.
3. By Road: To get into and around the city, you can get various modes of transport such as buses, taxis and auto rickshaws. Bhubaneswar Bus Station is 8 km from the city centre, you can take buses operated by Orissa State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC). Private buses are also easily available from there.
Source: Goibibo
1. A light jacket or shawl. December is the first winter month in Bhubaneswar when temperatures dip as low as 15.6°C.
2. A sturdy water bottle, if the festival has refillable water stations and allows water bottles to be taken into the festival venue.
3. A tote bag for all those brochures and products you may want to lug back home.
4. It’s always a good idea to carry debit/credit cards as well as cash in case technology fails us or if you want to avail of cash discounts that they offer on the spot.
5. COVID packs: Hand sanitiser, extra masks, and a hard or soft copy of your vaccination certificate.


