Bhubaneswar: The three-day long ‘State Level Geetinatya Festival’ at Rabindra Mandap here concluded on January 29. It provided an opportunity to people, particularly young generation, to know something about dance drama, one of the many dying art froms.
Rupa and Troupe, a Puri based organisation, staged ‘Jalandhar Vadh’ on the concluding evening.
Jalandhar, a demigod who conquers the three worlds- swarglok, martyalok and patallok. His wife Vrinda, daughter of a demon king named Kalanemi, is a pious woman. She has a boon that her husband is alive as long as her chastity is not breached.
It is when all the gods meet lord Vishnu and request him to find out a way to get rid of Jalandhar. As per the plan, sage Narada puts Jalandhar up to wage a war against Lord Shiva. While the battle is being fought, lord Vishnu approaches Vrinda in the guise of Jalandhar and breaches her chastity. The moment her chastity is breached, there in the battlefield Jalandhar is killed.
Not mincing words, this reviewer couldn’t experience the charm dance dramas usually have. The worst is that the artistes were only lip syncing to the recorded dialogues. Had it been a live one, it would have been a saving grace. Lord Shiva is an important character in the play. But instead of an artiste the background voice did the act. Last but not the least, the artistes’ performance levels also need improvement.
While Ganakabi Baishnab Pani is the playwright of the dance drama, Rupalata Mohanty, who portrayed Vrinda’s character, directed it.
On the inaugural evening, Labanya Theatre, a Bhubaneswar based theatre organisation, staged ‘Mahiraban Vadh’. On the second evening, Sanskruti Vihar from Cuttack staged ‘Daksha Yajna’.
Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi under the aegis of Odia Language, Literature and Culture department organises the state level Geetinatya Festival.
Geetinatya or dance drama is one of the prominent ancient forms of entertainment. Then it would not only entertain people but also educate them. Now it is regarded as a dying art form.
By kalasanskruti
