Bhubaneswar: Tridhara paid tribute to Guru Debaprasad Das by garlanding his statue in the Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalay here on Friday on the occasion of his 35th death anniversary.
Among others, working president, Tridhara, Simanchal Panda , principal of Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalay Dr Bijay Kumar Jena, coordinator of Tridhara Pranay Kumari Panda and students of Tridhara paid floral tribute to the Guruji.
Guru Debaprasad Das, born in 1932, is one of the four first generation Odissi dance gurus who structured, shaped and stylised the dance form. The other three stalwarts are Adiguru Pankaj Charan Das, Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and Guru Mayadhar Raut. Guru Mayadhar Raut is still alive.
He was only 54 when he died on July 16, 1986. While ‘Sabda Swara Pata’ is an important feature of his dance style, his style of dance is also popular for being less ornamented expressions.
Tridhara, the dance institution established by the guruji himself, observe the guruji’s death anniversary by organising a day-long festival ‘Shradhanjali Samaroha’. It features more than 300 dancers including his direct disciples and gurus and students who perform his style of dance participate.
Informing about this year’s festival, director, Tridhara, Guru Gajendra Panda said the festival will be held when the restrictions imposed due to Covid-19 are lifted.
