New Delhi: As dusk fell on September 7, the CD Deshmukh Auditorium at India International Centre here came alive with anticipation, with art connoisseurs filling the seats to capacity. The occasion was ‘Following Footsteps’, a solo Odissi dance recital by young and gifted danseuse Miss Prachi Hota.
Some evenings etch themselves into memory, and the said evening was one of them, indeed.
The overwhelming turnout was a testament to Miss Hota’s artistry and growing stature in the world of Odissi dance.
The evening was inaugurated by celebrated cultural analyst and musicologist, Padma Shri and SNA awardee Prof Bharat Gupt by lighting the auspicious lamp. After a brief introduction about Miss Hota by the emcee of the evening, Smt Sadhana Shrivastav, the evening got off to a fine start.
She commenced her recital with ‘Dhyaye Subarna Barna’, an invocatory dance piece in praise of Goddess Durga, based on Raga Charukesi and Tala Ektali and Jati and choreographed by Padma Shree Guru Gangadhar Pradhan, setting the tone for the evening.
With her supple movements and facial expressions, she brought to life the fierce yet benevolent spirit of Goddess Durga, leaving the audience captivated and building great anticipation for the rest of the evening.
The recital gathered pace as she followed her recital with ‘Hamsadhwani Pallavi’, a pure dance item set to Raga Hamsadhwani and Tala Ektali, choreographed by legendary Guru Kalucharan Mohapatra. Here, she carefully crafted her moves carefully and weaved intricate patterns as if sketching rhythms in thin air, leaving the art lovers enchanted.
The highlight of the evening was her abhinaya piece ‘Bajuchhi Sahi Bajare’. In this item, based on a poem by Gopalkrushna Pattnailk, choreographed by Guru Gangadhar Pradhan and re-choreographed by Guru Aruna Mohanty, set to Raga Shuddha Desi and Tala Maalika, Radha’s sakhi warns her about her affair with Krishna. She tells Radha that her love affair with Krishna has become the talk of the town.
Switching seamlessly between the characters of Radha and her sakhi, she portrayed the abhinaya with such dexterity that the audience could almost hear the murmurs of Vrindavan’s streets.
The recital then deepened with ‘Naata Pasaraa’, a homage to the Mahari tradition, set to Raga Kumancha and Tala Ektali, choreographed by Guru Sarat Das, directed by Guru Suhag Nalini Das, music composed by Guru Ramahari Das and rhythm composed by Guru Dhaneswar Swain.
It is a composition of Mukta Mahari, which describes the Suddha Nritya of the Maharis, the grammar that was followed by them, that later paved the way to formulate Odissi’s grammar.
The presentation carried the gravitas it deserved, thanks to her clarity of facial expressions, graceful hand and body movements.
She concluded her recital with ‘Ardhanarishwara’, based on shlokas written by Adi Shankaracharya, set to Raga Malika and Tala Malika and choreographed by Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra.
Here too she ticked all boxes in exploring the iconographic representation of Shiva and Parvati, providing a fitting finale to an evening where divinity met discipline.
Each piece drew thunderous applause, a sure sign that she had the connoisseurs in her thrall.
The performances marked by grace, discipline, dedication, maturity and artistic brilliance, reflected not just training but a lifelong devotion to her art.
For someone who began learning Odissi dance at the tender age of three from Guru Smt Arpita Venkatesh in Kolkata and then from Guru Hare Krishna Behera in Delhi for nine years till his demise and has since been under the tutelage of Guru Smt Y Asha Kumari, her performances were more than recitals, they weaved magic.
She has also the opportunity to receive guidance from Guru Kumkum Mohanty, Guru Aruna Mohanty and Guru Kavita Dwibedy.
Yet, Prachi Hota is more than a dancer. A trained sitarist, Hindustani vocalist, and an accomplished filmmaker with training from the London Film Academy, United Kingdom and Prague Film School, Czech Republic, she has worked across Europe and India with her latest documentary film screened at the British Film Institute and was nominated for an award in the Best Short Film category at the Begin Film Festival Los Angeles, while her association with ‘Project Anjuman’ initiative brings creativity and collaboration into Delhi’s government schools.
With over 25 years of rigorous training, 16 years of professional performances, she has performed at several prestigious festivals in India and abroad and she is no stranger to accolades. While she is a holder of the National Scholarship from the Centre for Cultural Research and Training, Government of India, she has received awards like ‘Padmavati Yuva Pratibha Puraskar’, ‘Nritya Vilasini’, ‘Natya Bhramari’, ‘Subhadra Samman’, ‘Devadasi Ananyaa Nartaki Puraskar’, ‘Natyakala Chathura’ and ‘Nritya Vidushi’.
Yet, she continues to add new feathers to her cap. Her another identity is she is the founder and editor of ‘The Aggressively Serious Newsletter’.
In short, “Following Footsteps” was an evening where tradition walked hand in hand with contemporary spirit.
