Dhauli: The 14th Dhauli-Kalinga Mahotsav jointly organized by Department of Tourism, Government of Odisha, Orissa Dance Academy and Art Vision witnessed an evening showcasing a beautiful blend of classical and martial dances which regaled a large audience gathered at the foothill of Dhauli on the 2nd evening of the festival.
The programme started with Poetry recitation by Devdas Chhotray followed by Bharatnatyam dance by Leela Samson & Group, Spanda Dance Company, Chennai. Their presentation was on Nadi – The River. The river has been the very source of life from time immemorial. The theme of the river serves to remind us in these troubled and disparate times that we are in truth woven together as the warp and weft of the flow of the rivers that criss-cross through our varied land and links us inextricably to these varied philosophies and languages. The dance was choreographed by Leela Samson herself.
The last programme of the evening was martial dance of Odisha Mallakhamb (Paika- Shai Jatra) by Gyana Ranjan Mohanty & Group. Their presentation was Mu Buxi, the king Mukund Dev, his Prime Minister Jayarajguru surrendered before British. But with help of conspiracy British took Jayarajguru to a remote place at Medinpur. They tied Jayarajguru in banyan tree and stretched out him into two pieces. Then after ten years of Jayarajguru’s death Buxi strongly raised his voice against British rule. He gathered the young generation from village to village and trained them to fight against the British. He made secret training camp at forest (Barunei Hill) and attacked British soldiers. They became defeated before Buxi. But the British soldiers arrested all the members of Buxi’s family though Buxi surrendered himself and was imprisoned at Cuttack Barabati Durga. But he started sowing the seed of Paika revolution in the jail. His immense effort opened the path of independence of India. The Mu Buxi story exhibiting in Maalkhamb dance extraordinary skill and talent much to the joy and ecstasy of the audience.
The dignitaries who graced the occasion were Shri U. N. Behera, Former Additional Chief Secretary, Odisha; Shri Priyambada Mohanty Hejmadi, Odissi Exponent; Shri Manoranjan Panigrahi, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Culture Department; Shri A. Sundararajan, Dr. N. B. Jawale, Director, Tourism; Guru Aruna Mohanty, Secretary, Orissa Dance Academy. The programme was compared by Dr. Srinibas Ghatuari and Smt. Meghna Das.
Comments are closed.