Bhubaneswar: The 23rd edition of Ekamra Nrutya Mahotsav, a prestigious national-level celebration of classical dance and music hosted by Suravi, got off to a flying start on Monday evening at Utkal Rangamanch, on the premises of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre in Bhubaneswar.
Organized by Suravi—one of the premier Odissi institutions in India which was founded in 2003 by renowned Guru Dr. Pitamber Biswal—the festival has become a calendar event for connoisseurs of the classical arts, drawing crowds year after year with its blend of tradition and talent.
The Inaugural ceremony was graced by an august panel of dignitaries: Padma Shri awardee Guru Aruna Mohanty, celebrated Mardala exponent Guru Dhaneswar Swain, and noted Hindustani vocalist Guru Jamini Kanta Mishra, who also serves as the Odisha chapter secretary of ABGM (Mumbai).
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Following the ceremonial lighting of the lamp, the festival struck a melodious chord with a captivating group violin recital titled Melody of Strings, led by Guru Prashant Kumar Padhi. His ensemble weaved magic with soul-stirring interpretations of ragas Kirwani, Hamsadhwani, and Mishradhani, leaving the audience spellbound.
Performing alongside Guru Padhi were violinists Bishgnupada Barik, Pradyumna Sahu, Chandan Kumar Sethy, and Pintu Mallick, while Matruprashad Panda on tabla, Dinesh Ranjan Singh on dholak, and S.S. Gourav on the clap box provided rhythmic finesse.
The evening then took a lyrical turn as Smt Bandita Ghosal of Nrutyashala, a Bhubaneswar-based Odissi school founded by Guru Ashok Ghosal, took center stage. Her abhinaya performance ‘Mun Ta Jani Jani Karichi Mana’, portraying Radha as a kalahantharitha nayika was a visual poem of expressions.Choreographed by Guru Ashok Ghosal and set to a seamless blend of Raga Malika and Tala Malika, the performance was elevated by the musical accompaniment of Guru Himanshu Sekhar Swain (vocal), Amit Kumar Das (violin), Jeevan Prakash (sitar), Soumya Ranjan Joshi (flute), Muralidhara Swain (mardala), and Soumyakanta Mallick (manjira).
Capping off the evening was a spellbinding solo Odissi recital by Sanjeev Kumar Jena, a rising dancer of Rudraksha Foundation and disciple of Guru Bichitrananda Swain. His performance, ‘Surpanakha – The Demon Princess’, drew from the Ramayana and brought the tragic, complex character of Surpanakha vividly to life on stage.
With choreography by Guru Bichitrananda Swain, music by Guru Ramahari Das, and rhythm by Guru Dhaneswar Swain, Jena’s performance struck a perfect balance of technique and emotion, leaving the audience glued to their seats. The artistes who gave him a good support on the stage were Matruprasad Das on vocal, Sitakanta Jena on the Mardala, Prakash Chandra Mohapatra on the Sitar, Ashish Perei on the Violin and Soumyakanta Mallick on the Manjira.
As the curtain fell on Day One of this four-day cultural feast, it was clear that Ekamra Nrutya Mahotsav remains a beacon of classical artistry in Odisha—where tradition meets talent, and every beat tells a story.
The anchor of the evening was Dr Mrutyunjay Rath.
