Bhubaneswar: For the city art lovers, the eighth edition of Guru Gopikrushna Utsav proved to be a veritable feast as an enchanting array of solo, duet and group performances were at the eighth edition of Guru Gopikrushna Utsav held at Utkal Rangamanch, GKCMORC, Bhubaneswar, on October 9 and 10.
Jointly organized by Guru Gopikrushna Foundation and Nrutyalaya in loving memory of legendary Guru Gopikrushna Behera, the festival has carved a niche for itself in the city cultural calendar. The driving force behind the festival is Guru Sanatan Nayak, who founded Nrutyalaya in 2003. Through his unwavering commitment to imparting quality training, he continues to nurture young talent and keep the classical dance tradition alive.
On October 9, the festival unfolded over the entire day starting from 10 AM to 10 PM and from 10 AM to 2 PM on October 10. Around 100 artistes from Nrutyalaya and different parts of the country performed at the festival, making it a huge success.
The highlight of the festival was the inaugural evening.
As dusk settled over the capital city, the auditorium came alive with the anticipation of an evening steeped in art, tradition and reverence.
The evening witnessed the presence of dignitaries including Mardala exponent Guru Dhaneswar Swain, Guru Niranjan Rout, Guru Gobinda Chandra Pal and Guru Dr Manoj Kumar Behera who lit the auspicious lamp. The evening then proceeded towards the felicitation ceremony.
The prestigious ‘Guru Gopikrushna Samman’ was conferred upon Padma Shri Guru Durga Charan Ranbir for Odissi Dance, Pandit Nityananda Mishra for lyricism, Guru Ghanshyam Panda for Odissi vocal and Sitakanta Mohanty for theatre.
Similarly, ‘Guru Gopikrushna Kalanidhi Samman’ was presented to Guru Nityananda Senapati, Guru Pushpita Mishra, Guru Bharat Chandra Giri and Guru Namita Ray.
The guests and Guru Sanatan Nayak fondly recalled the multifaceted genius of Guru Gopikrushna Behera. They stressed the need to urge the government to take concrete steps towards preserving and propagating his artistic legacy. The Odissi gurus were also encouraged to choreograph dance compositions based on his songs so that his creative contributions continue to resonate with future generations.
The cultural segment commenced with ‘Guru Vandana’ (Mangalacharan), invoking the blessings of gurus. Choreographed by Guru Niranjan Rout, music composed by K Ramarao Patra and rhythm by Guru Dhaneswar Swain, the piece was presented by Chittaranjan Mohanta, Bratati Biswal, Subhashree Das, Karishma Behera and Diptimayee Patra.
The following item was an abhinaya ‘Madhurastakam’, performed by Smt Arupa Gayatri Panda. Originally choreographed by Padma Shri Guru Gangadhar Pradhan, rechoreographed by Padma Shri Guru Aruna Mohanty and music composed by Guru Harihar Panda, the piece celebrates the divine beauty and playful charms of Lord Krishna.
The artiste showed commendable dexterity in recreating episodes of Krishna’s childhood, from playing ball with his friends, stealing butter, teasing bathing gopis, playing Holi and subduing evil serpent Kaliya. Her expressive storytelling earned generous applause from the audience.
The next former was Jagatjit Das, a disciple of Guru Niranjan Rout. He presented ‘Shakuni’, choreographed by the artiste himself with guidance from his guru, music composed by Matruprasad Das, rhythm composed by Guru Dhaneswar Swain and Ajay Chakraborty.
The production threw light on beyond the familiar image of conspirator of the Mahabharata character and portrayed him as a man caught in the inexorable grip of destiny and duty. The artiste held the audience captivated with his excellent body language and nuanced expressions.
The following item was another solo Odissi recital by Adyasha Anindita, a disciple of Guru Sanatan Nayak, who presented ‘Abhishapta Chitramati’. The poignant narrative explored the previous birth of demoness Putana, who was sent to kill Krishna.
She powerfully portrayed Putana’s anguish as little Krishna sucked the life out of her, granting her spiritual liberation. Her emotive portrayal struck a deep chord with the audience, whose applause continued long after the performance had ended.
Adding a graceful touch to the evening, Sita Murmu and Supriya Pani, disciples of Guru Sanatan Nayak, presented an abhinaya ‘Laje Mun Sari Gali Aja’.
Choreographed Guru Sanatan Nayak, music composed by Guru Bikash Shukla and rhythm composed by Guru Dhaneswar Swain, the presentation stood out for their fluid movements, precision and elegance.
The penultimate item of the evening was by Sanjana Gouda and Dipti Prakash Champati, disciples of Guru Niranjan Rout, who presented ‘Shiva Omm’, an ode to Lord Shiva.
Choreographed by Guru Nirannjan Rout, script by Guru Navakishore Mishra, music by Guru Ramhari Das and rhythm by Guru Dhaneswar Swain, the piece explored the different aspects of Lord Shiva, bringing together devotion and dramatic expression.
The festival drew to a close on a devotional note with ‘Nrushingha Bilasa’, performed by the artistes of Nrutya Nilaya (Angul).
Choreographed by Guru Swapnarani Sinha, script by Pandit Nityananda Mishra, music by Guru Sukant Kumar Kundu and rhythm by Guru Dhaneswar Swain and Ajay Choudhury, the production left a lasting impression.
Over the years, Guru Gopikrushna Utsav has been improving its artistic excellence, making it a favourite of art lovers. Much of this success can be attributed to Guru Sanatan Nayak’s tireless efforts, vision and dedication.
