Bhubaneswar: The art lovers thronged at Buddha Mandir here to witness ‘Being Aware-Part III & Sangeet Samaroh-2025’ had a unique experience of enlightenment and entertainment.
Organised by Debaprasad Nrutya Pratisthan, the festival was held in the fond memory of Guru Late Debaprasad Das, the legendary icon of Odissi dance, aiming to preserve and promote his vision, choreographic style, and scholarly contributions to Odissi through research, training, and performance.
The festival commenced with the auspicious lighting the lamp ceremony, graced by eminent guests-noted vocalist and Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee Pandit Dr Debendra Narayan Satapathy as the chief guest, along with noted Odissi dancer and Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee Guru Minakshi Behera and celebrated musician Kalabhushana Dr Sunil Kumar Pattanaik.
In a moving felicitation ceremony, noted Odissi Veena player and Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee Guru Ramarao Patra was honoured with ‘Shiva Shakti Guru Debaprasad Award 2025’ for his lifetime contribution to the art world. Similarly, Guru Dr Manoj Kumar Behera was felicitated with ‘Odissi Nrutya Pragyan Samman’ for his dedicated service to the dance form.
The evening also witnessed Odissi dancers Smt Swapnarani Sinha and Sushree Mohanty and vocalist Prateek Pattnaik being conferred with ‘Juva Odissi Nrutya Guru Samman’, ‘Odissi Nrutya Praveena Samman’ and ‘Juba Odissi Sangeet Ratna Samman’ respectively.
The festival opened with a thought-provoking seminar on “Being Aware – Part 3”, followed by the ‘Word of Blessings of Shiva Nirakar’ by Guru Gayatri Chand & Guru Sushree Anita Singhdeo along with a meditation session. Later, founder-cum-executive trustee of Debaprasad Nrutya Pratisthan, Guru Chand delivered her insightful keynote address.
As the evening unfolded, the art lovers were transported into a world of rhythm and devotion through a bouquet of mesmerizing performances.
The soulful rendition of young vocalist Prateek Pattnaik, a disciple of Odisha Sangeet Natak Academy awardee Guru Pandit Ramarao Patra, set the tone for the evening. He commenced his recital with ‘Balabara re…’, set to Raga Mukhabari, Tala Jati and written by Kabisurya Baladev Rath. He followed it up with ‘Shree Burndaban Chandrama…’, set to Raga Suddhadeshi, Tala Rupak and composed by Acharya Tarini Charan Patra.
He was lent a good support by Guru Pandit Ramarao Patra on the Harmonium, Soumya Ranjan Nayak on the Mardala and Sekhar Suman Majhi on the Manjira.
The following item was an elegant solo Odissi dance recital by Samikshya Pani. A disciple of Guru Gayatri Chand, Pani began with ‘Guru Vandana’, based on Raga Bageshri and Tala Jati and Tripata, followed by an abhinaya ‘Thapi Re Kaha’ (Tha Champu), set to Raga Jhinjoti and Tala Aada Tali. Both the items were choreographed and direction by Guru Gayatri Chand, music and vocal by Guru Ramhari Das and rhythm by Guru Dhaneswar Swain.
Pani’s’ performances stood out for their remarkable precision, clarity of movements and expressions
The stage came alive with Suhana Mishra, another disciple of Guru Gayatri Chand, who presented Ananda Bhairava Pallavi, set to Tala Ektali.
Choreographed and directed by Guru Gayatri Chand, music by Guru Ramhari Das and rhythm by Guru Dhaneswar Swain, Suhana’s performance, marked by sculpted body movements and rhythmic brilliance, left the art lovers captivated.
Carrying the evening’s tempo forward, Swarnaprava Panda, a disciple of Guru Bharat Charan Giri, came onto the stage to present an abhinaya ‘Ahe Nila Saila’, set to Raga Aravi and Tala Jati, written by Bhakta Salabega, choreographed by Guru Bharat Charan Giri and music composed by Guru Pradeep Kumar Das.
Here, in the prayer of 17th century Muslim poet Salabega, Panda’s emotive portrayal of Lord Vishnu protecting Gajaraja, the elephant king, from the crocodile, saving Prahalad from his wicked father Hiranyakashyap and rescuing Draupadi by providing her endless sarees after the Pandavas lost to the Kauravas in the dice game, struck a deep chord with the art lovers as well as common audience.
The penultimate performer of the evening was Swarnanki Das, a disciple of Guru Swapnarani Sinha, who presented a captivating abhinaya ‘Ghana Ghana Bansi Swana’ set to Raga Mishra Khamaj, Tala Ektali.
The choreography by Smt Swapnarani Sinha, music composed by Guru Sukant Kumar Kundu and rhythm by Guru Dhaneswar Swain together brought out the lyrical beauty of the piece.
It was a delight for both trained and untrained eyes.
The curtains down on a high note with a riveting solo Odissi dance recital by young Odissi dancer Rabishankar Majhi, a promising young dancer. A disciple of Padma Shri awardee Guru Durga Charan Ranbir, he presented a Pallavi, based on Raga Rageshree, Tala Ekatali, choreographed by Guru Durga Charan Ranbir, music composed by Guru Sukant Kumar Kundu and rhythm by Guru Niranjan Patra.
Majhi’s energetic and nuanced performance provided a fitting finale to an evening steeped in rhythm, melody, and devotion.
Besides paying homage to Guru Debaprasad Das’s timeless legacy, the festival also rekindled the spirit of classical art that continues to thrive in Odisha’s cultural heartland.
The anchor of the evening was Sushree Mohanty, who is an advocate by profession and an Odissi dancer by passion.
