Bhubaneswar: Srjan hosted the third evening of the 27th OMC Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award Festival 2021 on September 7th. The evening proved to be a visual and auditory delight to audiences who witnessed memorable performances in both dance and music, with Dr. Anwesa Mahanta’s graceful Sattriya performance, followed by Smt. Manjusha Patil’s effortless Hindustani vocal recital.
In keeping with the format followed throughout the festival, the programme on September 8th, the penultimate evening, started with a classical dance performance with Nikkita Banawalikar presenting Kathak, followed by a classical music recital with Abhiram Nanda on the flute.
A promising young talent in the world of Kathak, Nikkita has undertaken advanced training under Guru Shama Bhate in Pune. She presented Avartan, a complete cycle of rhythmic beats, representing the entire traditional repertoire of a Kathak performance. Commencing with a Ganesh Stuti, the invocation was followed by the Taal paksha, or the Nrittang, with compositions of rhythmic pieces performed to the accompaniment of Tabla in the same ‘bol’ patterns. Her crisp movements and intricate footwork deserved much applause.
After the Nrittang, Nikkita presented a Thumri composed by Pt. Bindadin Maharaj. Ably accompanied on the Tabla by Tanay Rege, on vocals, by Aditya Apte, and on the harmonium by Omkar Agnihotri, Avartan was a dedication to the Gurus, presented with utmost commitment and elan by the young dancer from Mumbai.
Srjan then hosted the flute recital of Abhiram Nanda. Known for his versatility and captivating performances, Abhiram Nanda started his training under Prof. Mohini Mohan Pattnaik, and is presently undergoing advanced training under the maestro Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia. He began his recital by exploring Raag Madhuvanti, presenting a composition in Rupak Taal (7 beats) and Teen Taal (16 beats). His second, and concluding presentation, titled Dhun, was set to Raag Mishra Pahadi, and Dadra and Keherwa Taal, was a harmonious exploration of the uplifting tune of Mishra Pahadi.
Accompanied by Biswaranjan Nanda on the Tabla and Priyanka Rath on the Tanpura, this mellifluous flute recital concluded the penultimate evening of the festival.
On the final evening, Srjan will conduct the award ceremony, with His Excellency Hon’ble Governor of Odisha Prof. Ganeshi Lal presenting the coveted Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award 2021 to Smt. Binodini Devi, veteran actress and theatre artiste for her invaluable contribution and lifetime dedication to Theatre, and the Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Yuva Pratibha Samman 2021 to Arushi Mudgal for Odissi dance and to Ramachandra Behera for Odissi music (Mardala) acknowledging their dedication to their art forms.
The finale features a much-awaited presentation by the Srjan ensemble. Srjan will present a bouquet of neo-classical choreographs in Odissi dance, conceptualized and choreographed by Guru Ratikant Mohapatra. Beginning with an invocation to Lord Ganesha, Vinayaka Smarane, Srjan will explore the intricacies of neo-classical Odissi compositions with dances such as Parameshwari Pallavi and the experimental piece, titled Shiva Shangsanam, based on the Odissi idiom. This presentation pushes the boundaries of dance innovation with its novel style of execution. They also present Maati, a dance ballet based on the work of Shri Radha Mohan Gadanayak.
Compered by Maya Krishnamurty, a member of the Srjan ensemble, the entire festival (a five day-celebration from September 5th to 9th) has been curated and designed by Guru Ratikant Mohapatra, with the programme execution by Shri Debiprasad Mishra. Odisha Mining Corporation Limited (OMC) is the title sponsor, and Odisha Tourism, Government of Odisha is the festival’s gold sponsor. This festival has been supported by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India and the Dept. of Odia Literature Language and Culture, Govt of Odisha. MGM Group, Bhubaneswar are the festival sponsors, Dharitri and Odisha Post are the media partners, and web partner is Narthaki.com.
Comments are closed.