Bhubaneswar: A rich tapestry of Odissi dance on Sunday unfolded at Bhanjakala Mandap as Tridhara, a premier institution dedicated to preserving and promoting the distinctive style of legendary Guru Debaprasad Das, hosted “Debasmruti 2026”, an evening devoted to the classical dance form.
Tridhara organises this festival with an objective to propagating the enduring legacy of Guru Debaprasad Das while showcasing his unique gharana of Odissi. It also highlights the seamless blend of classical Odissi with Odisha’s indigenous tribal and folk dance traditions—an artistic hallmark of the maestro’s vision.
The evening commenced with an auspicious note as the distinguished guests Subhendu Das and Guru Jaswasi Mishra inaugurated the evening by lighting the ceremonial lamp. Tridhara’s president Simanchala Panda and director Guru Gajendra Kumar Panda were also present on the dais.
The programme commenced with a Mangalacharan ‘Lakshmi Narasimha Dhyana’, performed by Dr. Priyanka, Tanisha, Sai Durga, Shraddha, Priyanshi, Shikhyanshi, and Krishnapriya. This was followed by “Navarasa,” a vibrant exploration of the nine emotions, presented by Deepika, Subhashree, Gulmini, Sonali, Madhu, and Harapriya. In both items, the dancers held the audience captivated with their graceful presentations.
The following item was an abhinaya “Kede Chhanda,” performed by Srijita, Akash, Shivanshi, Harshalli, Tanisha, Shreyanshi, Shivangi, Shraddha, and Adisha. The next presentation, “Dashavatara,” brought to life the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu and the performers were Sulagna, Abhisikta, Aradhya, Aditya, Siddhiksha, and Srijita. Both performances were marked by precision and fluid.
Adding further colour to the evening, seven dancers- Anwesha, Takshvi, Divyashree, Ankita, Harshita, Bhavyanshi, and Adisha-presented an abhinaya “Uthilu Ede Begi,” followed by a devotional abhinaya “Mana Uddharana” featuring Trisha, Lopita, Tanisha, and Krishnapriya. The artistes’ excellent synchronization and space management made the items enjoyable.
The highlight of the evening was the duet Odissi presentation “Shivashtaka,” performed gracefully by Rutuja and Ankita. The festival concluded on a high note with “Krishnaya Tubhyam Namah,” presented by the artistes of Trinetra Kala Kunj, Cuttack, under the guidance of Guru Ramakanta Sahu.
While all the dance productions were choreographed by Guru Gajendra Kumar Panda, Punyadarshan Sahu did the seamless anchoring and Tridhara’s assistant director Prabhutosh Panda played a key role in coordinating and managing the event, ensuring the smooth conduct of the festival.
It is to be noted here that dancers who had attended Tridhara’s International Summer Odissi Workshop participated in the festival and showcased the skills and artistry they had acquired through the intensive training programme.
Photo courtesy: Tridhara
