Bhubaneswar: Nrityam Dance Festival 2024, hosted by Raja Dance Studio and Nrityam Kalakshetra, witnessed a bouquet of scintillating performances by some talented Odissi dancers of the state at Rabindra Mandap in Bhubaneswar on June 29.
The attraction of the evening was young and graceful Odissi dancer Adyasha Mishra, daughter and disciple of Guru Puspita Mishra. While she was felicitated with this year’s Nrityam Samman, she also didn’t let the art lovers down.
A Prasar Bharati Graded B artist and gold medalist in Sangeet Bhaskar from Pracheen Kala Kendra, Adyasha presented ‘Yajnaseni’. As the title suggests, the item’s central character is ‘Draupadi’, who is also known as Yajnaseni because she was born from a yajna.
With her expressive facial expressions and lyrical body movements and brilliant space management, she gave justice to the item, depicting how Draupadi’s life changes through phases of love, happiness, hatred, the shameful act of vastraharan and ends with Bhima washing her hair with blood of Dushasana.
For me, the take away of the presentation was woman is a treasure trove of love, affection , strength, peace and knowledge. And at the same time, when she is humiliated, not only the family or the nation but the entire world pays heavily for it.
Set to Raga Raga Malika and Tala Tala Malika, the item was choreographed by Guru Smt Puspita Mishra, music composed by Guru Nimakanta Routray and Guru Ramachandra Behera.
Starting from art connoisseurs to common audience, all enjoyed the presentation with rapt attention.
Adyasha, who has received the Junior Scholarship in Odissi Dance from the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT), has extensively performed in many prestigious festivals in and outside the state.
