Bhubaneswar: The 13th edition of Adiguru Padma Shri Pankaj Charan Das Award Festival, hosted by Adiguru Odissi Gurukul, was held at Utkal Rangamanch, on the premises of GKCM Odissi Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, on October 16.
Established in 2008 by Sri Basant Kumar Das, the elder son of Adiguru Padma Shri Pankaj Charan Das, Adiguru Odissi Gurukul is making every effort to preserve and promote the rich heritage of Odissi and carry forward the invaluable legacy of the legendary Odissi maestro.
Instituted by the Adiguru Odissi Gurukul, the festival celebrated its 13th edition this year and has established itself as one of the much awaited cultural events in the state.
This year’s festival featured a bouquet of scintillating solo, duet and group Odissi performances, offering a visual treat to art lovers.
As evening descended on the capital city, the Utkal Rangamanch auditorium came alive with an atmosphere of artistic excellence.
The evening was inaugurated by dignitaries including eminent Odissi vocalist Dr Sangeeta Gosain, renowned Odissi dance exponents Guru Smt Chapala Mishra and Guru Smt Muktilata Pal and Ollywood actor Samaresh Routray who jointly lit the auspicious lamp. Guru Pallavi Das was also on the stage.
The evening then proceeded towards the felicitation ceremony. The prestigious Adiguru Pankaj Charan Das Award was presented to the Guru Minakshi Behera, a disciple of the maestro.
In her reaction, Guru Behera said the award is invaluable to her as it bears her guru’s name. The guests lauded the efforts of Guru Pallavi Das, daughter of Sri Basant Kumar Das and granddaughter of Adiguru Pankaj Charan Das and wished the festival and the institution continued success.
On the occasion, the winners of Adiguru Padma Shri Pankaj Charan Das Prativa Pratiyogita 2026, a competition in Odissi dance held earlier in the day were felicitated.
In the Under-10 category, Pratyasha Paavani Prava, Adyanshi Priyadarshini Pradhan, Swarashree Padhy and Tanusha Sahoo got the first, second, third and Jury’s choice prize respectively.
In the Under-18 category, Sai Prasad Panda, Deepali Mahalik, Samridhi Padhi won the first, second and third prizes respectively. The Jury’s Choice award was presented to Pallak Priyadarshini and Sanvi Korada.
The cultural segment opened with the students of Adiguru Odissi Gurukul presenting Mangalacharan ‘Panchadeva Stutee’, choreographed by Adiguru and dance direction by his granddaughter Guru Pallavi Das.
Here, the performers paid obeisance to Lord Ganesha, Lord Surya, Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Devi Ambika. The performance received generous applause.
The spotlight was then shifted to Guru Pallavi Das who presented ‘Naba Durga’, an abhinaya choreographed by her grandfather, Adiguru Pankaj Charan Das.
Since Durga Puja fervour was in the air, the choice of the presentation was particularly apt.
Guru Pallavi Das’s abhinaya skills shone throughout the production. With her subtle facial expressions and lyrical body movements, she beautifully portrayed the nine revered forms of Goddess Durga, leaving the art lovers absorbed in a devotional atmosphere.
A recipient of national scholarship and an empanelled artiste of Doordarshan, Guru Pallavi Das has performed at several prestigious festivals including Konark Dance and Music Festival, National Dance and Music Festival and Debanrutya Festival. She has also received several accolades including Debanshi Kalinga Nurtyashree Samman and Nurtyaratna Award. Presently, she runs Adiguru Odissi Gurukul.
The art lovers were then treated to a group recital by the artistes of the Adiguru Odissi Gurukul.
They presented ‘Sthayee’, choreography by Adiguru Pankaj Charan Das and dance direction by Guru Pallavi Das. The dancers’ intricate sculptural poses and effective use of stage space made the performance engaging.
The following item was a solo Odissi recital by Sunil Behera, a guest artiste.
He presented ‘Mahakali Stuti’, choreographed by Guru Bichitrananda Swain. The striking imagery he created through his performance left the audience spellbound.
Another scintillating group performance followed, with the artistes of Adiguru Odissi Gurukul presenting a ‘Pallavi’, a pure dance composition set to Raga Aravi and Tala Ektali.
The piece was choreographed by legendary guru Pankaj Charan Das, with dance direction by Guru Pallavi Das.
The penultimate presentation of the evening was ‘Radha Rani Sange Nache Murali Pani”, an abhinaya presented by Sai Sonakshi Pradhan and Adyashakti Maharana, Adiguru Odissi Gurukul students. Their expressive abhinaya was a visual treat.
The festival concluded with an abhinaya ‘Srita Kamala’, from Jayadeva’s Gita Govinda, presented by Priya Priyadarshini, a disciple of Guru Ashish Raj.
Judging by the audience’s enthusiastic applause after each performance and the fact that connoisseurs seated until the final item, the festival was a resounding success.
The evening concluded with the felicitation of all participants, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Guru Pallavi Das.
The anchor of the evening was Gyanananda Sagar.
