Bhubaneswar: The Utkal Rangamanch auditorium at the Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre (GKCMORC) came alive on Thursday evening as Susree, a socio-cultural organization, celebrated its silver jubilee with an enchanting showcase of Odissi dance.
The evening witnessed the presence of distinguished guests including Guru Dr Manoj Kumar Behera, Guru Dr Pitambar Biswal, Guru Minakhi Behera and Guru Chapala Mishra, all are celebrated Odissi gurus, who inaugurated the evening by lighting the ceremonial lamp, setting the stage for a memorable cultural extravaganza. Susree’s president Dr Sudharani Acharya, secretary, Jayashree Pattanayak, treasurer Snigdharani Acharya, treasurers Tanushree Pattanayak and Rajashree Pattanayak were also present on the dais.
The spotlight was then shifted to the felicitation ceremony. The host institution honouered eminent Odissi dancer Guru Dr Subhashree Pattanayak with its ‘First Sushree Nrutyakala Award’ in recognition of her immense contribution to the classical dance form.
A disciple of CSNA awardee Dr Snehaprava Samantaray, and Padma Shri Guru Durga Charan Ranbir, Guru Dr Pattanayak is earned a Ph.D. in Odissi dance from Utkal University of Culture. Besides being an A grade artiste of Doordarshan, she in the recipient of Junior Fellowship, Senior Fellowship and Senior Scholarship from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
The founder of Nrutyadham, an Odissi dance institution, Dr Pattanayak has also been recognised as an outstanding performer by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
The guests while addressing the gathering heaped praise on the institution and expressed confidence that the organization would continue to scale greater heights, celebrating its Golden and Diamond Jubilees in the years to come.
The cultural segment unfolded like a richly woven tapestry of scintillating solo, duet and group Odissi dance recitals, each adding a distinctive hue to the festival’s artistic canvass.
The programme got off to a flying start with a captivating duet Odissi recital by Dr Arpita Venkatesh and her daughter-disciple Vandita Venkatesh.
The graceful mother-daughter duo opened with Jagannath Stuti, set to Raga Bhairavi and Tala Ektaali, choreographed by Guru Sujata Mohapatra with rhythm composed by Guru Satchidananda Das. Their offering to Lord Jagannath was marked by devotion, poise and synchronisation.
They followed it with ‘Layavinyas Pallavi’, set to Raga Jhinjhoti and Tala Matha, 10 beats, with dance composed by Guru Dr Arpita Venkatesh, music by Guru Sukanta Kumar Kundu and rhythm by Guru Satchidananda Das. The duo showcased intricate rhythmic patterns and impeccable coordination. Their crystal-clear movements and precise execution left the audience spellbound and set the tone for the evening.
A disciple of Guru Smt Sujata Mohapatra, Dr Arpita has been nurturing young talent through her Odissi institution, Malashree, for the past 27 years, making it a fertile ground for aspiring dancers.
The spotlight was then shifted to solo performer Soumya Bose, a B High Grade of Doordarshan and an empanelled artiste of ICCR.
He presented ‘Kede Chhanda Jane Lo Sahi’, one of the classic choreographies of legendary Padma Vibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, written by Kavi Banamali and music composed by Pandit Bhubaneswar Mishra.His vivid portrayal of mythological episodes such as Bakasura Vadha, Putana Vadha, Govardhan Dharana and Kaliya Damana brought mythology to life. The presentation was a visual delight.
Next, Samruddha Dash, a disciple of Dr Subhashree Pattanayak and a homeopathy practitioner, came onto the stage to present an abhinaya ‘Kie Lo Sajani, set to Raga Khamaj and Tala Ektaali.
Choreographed by Padma Shri Guru Durga Charan Ranbir and dance direction by Guru Dr Subhashree Pattanayak, the piece reflected both artistic maturity and emotional depth of Dr Dash.
The art connoisseurs were then treated to another solo recital by Soubhagya Nandini Das, who is a disciple of Guru Dr Subhashree Pattanayak and a BDS student.
She presented ‘Shankara Bharana Pallavi’, choreographed by Padma Shri Guru Pankaj Charan Das and directed by Guru Dr Subhashree Pattanayak. The grace and precision with which she executed the item left the audience glued to their seats.
The penultimate item of the evening was a group Odissi dance drama ‘Sarba Bhute Hari’, lyric by Guru Dhirendra Nath Pattanayak, choreographed by Guru Gayatri Ranbir and Guru Manoj Kumar Pradhan, music by Guru Pradipta Ray and rhythm by Guru Dhaneswar Swain. Seventeen senior dancers-Prajna Paromita Sethi, RB Baishnobi, Subhrajyoti Nayak, Saranya samal, Pragati Dixit, Akanksha Dash, Shruti Smita, Aditri Santoshi Bisoi, Sandeepa Bisoi, Tanaya Mishra, Pooja Mishra, Archana Muduli, Anshika Nayak, Ayasha Patnaik, Bhagyashree Mohanty and Sagarika Swain- beautifully depicted the fleeting nature of worldly pride, knowledge and wealth, reminding audiences that all earthly possessions are left behind in the face of mortality through compelling choreography.
A particularly poignant scene, in which dancers carried another performer across the stage like pallbearers bearing a funeral bier, tugged at the heartstrings and left many visibly moved.
The curtain came down on a high note with eight well-trained dancers of Nrutyankita presenting ‘Agni Stuee’, an item dedicated to Agni Dev, the Fire God.
Choreographed by Guru Swapnarani Sinha, direction by Guru Dr Ankita Rath, the founder of Nrutyankita, music composed by Guru Ramhari Dash and rhythm by Guru Dhaneswar Swain, the meticulously executed piece impacted the art lovers in its purest aesthetics, providing a fitting finale to the celebration. Notably, Dr Ankita Rath is a dentist.
Established in 1997 by Dr Sudhrani Acharya, Susree has carved a niche for itself not only though cultural initiatives but also terough social outreach programmers like conducting blood donation camps, organ donation awareness drives and plantation campaigns.
As the organisation marked 25 years of service, the evening stood as a testament to its enduring commitment to both art and society.
