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Keonjhar:1/6/24: Odisha’s renowned wood carving dance teacher as well as Padmashree Maguni Charan Kunar has passed away at the age of 89. He played a major role in bringing the Kandei dance to the world. This is how the Indian government honored him with the Padmashree award He breathed his last today morning at his home in Keonjhar after prolonged age-related illness. President Droupadi Murmu had awarded Maguni with the Padma Shri award in 2023.
He is well known for propagating the rod puppetry dance form also known as Kathi kundhei nacha. He has received many honors for his outstanding achievement and preserving the traditional art form. He is the recipient of Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja Samman from Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi, and the Kendriya Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed grief over the passing away of renowned puppeteer Padma Shri Maguni Charan Kuanr. Patnaik has ordered to perform his last rites with full state honour.
In his condolence message, the CM said that Guru Maguni Kuanr of Keonjhar played a significant role in reviving the endangered puppet dance tradition of Odisha. The demise of Guru Maguni Kuanr, the recipient of many awards and honours, is an irreparable loss to the traditional art of Odisha. The Chief Minister prayed for his soul to rest in peace. He also expressed his deepest condolences to the bereaved family.
About Maguni Charan Kuanr:
Born in 1937 in Keonjhar in Orissa, Shri Maguni Charan Kuanr belongs to a family of traditional puppeteers. He was initiated into the art of Kandhei Nach, which employs rod puppets, by his father Shri Baishnab Charan Kuanr. He has also learned sculpture in clay, stone, and wood from Shri Bhagaban Jena, a traditional sculptor. Shri Maguni Charan Kuanr has excelled in his vocation as a puppeteer and has contributed to the recognition of Kandhei Nach beyond Orissa. He has established a troupe of his own, the Utkal Vishwakarma Kalakunja Kandhei Nach, based in Keonjhar. Like many traditional puppeteers, he is the creator of his puppets, the designer of costumes, and the narrator of the plays performed. To propagate his art, Shri Kuanr has participated in camps and workshops organized by Orissa Sangeet Natak Akademi and other institutions. His work has been documented by various agencies in India and abroad. Among other honors, Shri Kuanr has received awards from the Orissa Sangeet Natak Akademi and the North Orissa University. Shri Maguni Charan Kuanr receives the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for his contribution to the traditional puppetry of Orissa.
