Bhubaneswar: The ninth edition of two-day Nrutya Naivedya Odissi Utsav drew to a close at Bhanjakala Mandap in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, leaving connoisseurs of classical dance enthralled.
Established in 2013 by young and talented Odissi dancer Guru Pravata Kumar Swain, Nrutya Naivedya has carved a niche as one of the premier Odissi dance institutions in the state. For the last nine years, it has successfully been organising Nrutya Naivedya Odissi Utsav, making it a significant event in the cultural calendar of the city.
After the lighting the lamp ceremony attended by distinguished guests like Guru Snehaprava Samantaray, Padma Shri recipient Guru Aruna Mohanty, senior IPS officer Soumendra Kumar Priyadarshi, executive director of Project Chhauni Subhashree Mukherjee, secretary of Nrutya Naivedya K Kartik Aruda and director of Detour Odisha Sophiya Simon, followed the felicitation ceremony.
Renowned Violin player Guru Suramani Ramesh Chandra Das was awarded the 9th Nrutya Naivedya Award. While addressing the gathering, the Violin maestro urged the children to devote at least one hour for yoga, pranayam, dance and music to enrich body, mind and soul.
Setting the tone of the evening, Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar awardee Vinod Kevin Bachan came onto the stage for a solo Odissi dance recital.
He presented ‘Bhumi Suta’, portraying the poignant tale of Sita returning to her mother, the Earth. While eminent Odissi dancer and Padma Shri recipient Guru Ranjana Gauhar choreographed it, script written by Suryakathi Tripathi, lyrics by Prof Naba Kishore Mishra and music direction and composition by Saroj Mohanty.
The piece came alive with his evocative expressions and clarity of abhinaya, tugging at the heartstrings of the audience.
Rising talent Bikram Samal, a disciple of Guru Pravata Kumar Swain, was the second performer of the evening. He presented ‘Ekalabya’, set to Raga Ragamalika and Tala Talamalika, choreographed by Guru Pravata Kumar Swain, music composed by Guru Sukanta Kumar Kundu and rhythm by Guru Dhaneswar Swain.
He deeply moved the art lovers through his portrayal of Ekalavya’s sacrifice with emotive storytelling and impeccable precision.
The following item was a duet Odissi dance recital by Chinmaya Kumar Das and Shambhabi Mohapatra, disciples of Guru Dr Jyotsna Rani Sahoo, the founder of Soor Mandir, Cuttack.
Sincere and dedicated dancers of Soor Mandir, Chinmaya and Shambhabi presented ‘Sangeetam Shrustimaya’, set to Raga Ragamalika and Tala Talamalika, choreographed by Guru Dr Jyotsna Rani Sahoo, music by Swapneswar Chakraborty and rhythm by Sachidanand Das.
Doing justice to the choreography, they depicted how the creation of music Is a harmonious interplay of melody, rhythm, and emotion and the intricate relationships between the notes, their subtle variations, and the dynamics of their sequence give rise to a diverse musical landscape.
Performed in unison, they created a magic on the stage with their energetic but balanced body movements, leaving the audience captivated.
The concluding item of the evening was ‘Trahi Durga’, a group recital presented by the disciplined and well-trained dancers of Nrutya Naivedya. They were Katyayani Mohanty, Swagatika Sahoo, Arpita Hota, Shakira Suna and Swati Swagatika. The item was choreographed by Guru Pravata Kumar Swain, music composed by Guru Sukanta Kumar Kundu and rhythm by Guru Dhaneswar Swain.
With perfect formations, synchronised movements and space management, the young artistes invoked various facets of Goddess Durga, filling the auditorium charged with spiritual energy and applause ringing in the air.
As the curtains came down, Nrutya Naivedya once again affirmed it’s role as a torch bearer of Odisha’s rich cultural heritage.
The emcee of both evenings was Er (Dr) Srinivas Ghatuary, popularly known as Milan.
