Masal, a socio cultural organization at Bhubaneswar had its maiden emergence in the year 1991. As per the nomenclature; its objective is, like torch, to enlighten the people in dark. From the date of inception, some of the dedicated members adopted the responsibility and involved themselves in a range of activities such as Health awareness and check up camps, Blood donation camps, educational and special awareness camps for the slum children and adults, street plays on various social issues, seminars and workshops etc.
In perpetuating the prosperous cultural heritage of Orissa, the organization under inspiring guidance of the founder Chairman, Professor Khageswar Mohapatra, preceded by a great Administrator of Odisha Govt., Dr. Rabi Narayan Senapati and few well-wishers could move ahead with various cultural programmes among which the State Level Raja Mahotsava is the annual one being celebrated for the last 16 years culturally and traditionally in the capital city, Bhubaneswar. It ventures to organize such cultural events that may act as an analgesic to the mechanical human being in today's materialistic world. The celebration could be so successful that Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, Kolkata was kind enough to involve themselves in organizing the same. It has the confidence in dedication and hard work to have the privileged patronage of EZCC for all time to come.
Today the organization is being backed by Ministry of Culture, few departments of the State Govt. like Department of Sports & Youth Affairs, Department of Culture & Tourism, Song & Drama Division (GOI), Public Enterprises like NALCO, BSNL, HUDCO, Corporates like HDFC, D. N. Homes, Ruchi and a lot more.
Raja is a festival celebrated mostly by the women of coastal Orissa and not being an exception is also decaying day by day from the cultural heritage of Orissa. The organisation's yearly celebration is an attempt to outshine the reality of this folk festival of the state. In the process it has irrevocably tried to reach deep into the root and extract the way Raja is celebrated in different regions indifferently.
It provides ample scope for both rural and urban people to be a part of the celebration and destine towards the survival of the rich cultural heritage and promote the efforts of the organization in a more significant and meaningful way.
As Raja is a festival of women, through the felicitation of the Masal Pratibha Puraskar encourages the girl topper of BSE & CBSE every year through cash award. The prestigious award, Masal Pratibha Samman, is felicitated every year, being identified as the State honour. The organization has honoured the women talents of International repute. The few among them are given below.
