What does British singing sensation Ed Sheeran have to do with tourism in Odisha?
A lot, if an Odissi cover of Sheeran's chartbuster Shape of You is to be seen and believed.
Joining the bandwagon, after IIT-Roorkee's memorable hip-hop cover, is a troupe of five Odissi dancers whose classy 'bhangas' (stances) interpreting the song against the gorgeous backdrops of state capital Bhubaneswar's monuments, has got over 10,000 views on YouTube in less than two days.
Detour Odisha, a travel company, shot the video in Sisupalgarh (a fortified township dating back to the third century AD), the exquisite Dhauli Shanti Stupa and Brahmeswara Temple (erected at the end of the ninth century).
In multi-hued traditional attires, danseuses Biswarupa Dixit, Smruti Pushpa Panda, Sulagnna Jena, Priyadarshini Pradhan and Madhusmita Swain demonstrate the elegance of one of India's major classical dance forms while also showcasing the rich architectural heritage of India's temple city.
Proving that music has no language barriers, the video also reinforces the use of 21st century digital media to popularise and record ancient Indian history.