Ahmedabad: What began as a humble initiative by Aum Arts Dance Academy, founded by celebrated Odissi dance Guru Dr Suprava Mishra, during the Covid-19 pandemic has steadily blossomed into one of eagerly awaited cultural programmes in Ahmedabad.
Envisioned as an exclusive platform for the academy’s artistes to showcase their artisti8c journey, ‘Odissi Sandhya’ has gone from strength to strength, a carving a niche for itself in eth city’s cultural landscape.
The latest edition of the Odissi Sandhya, ‘Odissi Sandhya 5.0’, held at the auditorium of the Jagannath Temple at Adalaj in Ahmedabad, proved to be a memorable evening for rasikas as eminent Odissi dancer Dr Priyanka Pati, one of the senior disciples of Guru Dr Mishra, captivated the audience with an evocative portrayal of the Navarasas (nine moods), weaving together episodes from the Ramayan through nuanced abhinaya, graceful body movements and impeccable expressions and technique.
As the dusk painted Ahmedabad’s skyline in hues of gold and amber on June 21, coinciding with International Yoga Day and World Music Day, the evening at the Jagannath Temple stepped in the timeless beauty of Odissi dance.
The programme commenced with the auspicious lighting the lamp by dignitaries including H. K. Dash, IAS (Retd), Maheswar Sahu, IAS (Retd), Smt. Usharani Tripathy and Smt Leela Dash, steadfast supporters of the academy, Guru Bharat Baria and Guru Akshaya Patel, noted Bharatnatyam artistes and Anil Mulchandani of The Times of India.
Then the much-awaited time came when Dr Priyanka Pati took centre stage with poise and confidence. She began her recital with ‘Pushpanjali’, offering flowers to the deity, mother earth, the guru and the audience, before presenting ‘Mahakali Mangalacharan’, the traditional opening piece in the Odissi repertoire, set to Raga Bhairavi and Tala Jati.
One of the classic choreographies of Guru Debaprasad Das, the piece explored different aspects of Goddess Kali and Dr Pati came out with flying colours, doing justice to the choreography. Her impeccable graceful body movements, facial expressions, razor-sharp precision and clarity instantly struck a chord with the audience, suggesting how entertaining and interesting would be the rest of the evening.
The highlight of the recital was undoubtedly ‘Navarasa’ where Dr Pati drew upon episodes from the Ramayan and vividly narrated the nine emotions described in Bharat Muni’s Natyashastra.
Choreographed by Guru Sudhakar Sahu and direction by Guru Suprava Mishra, the presentation traced Sringara (love) in Sita’s graceful stroll in the garden and tender courtship with Lord Ram and Veera (heroism) came alive in Lord Ram’s effortless breaking of Lord Shiva’s mighty bow (Shiva Dhanush) in the Swayamvara of princess Sita.
Karuna (compassion) found expression in Jatayu breathing his last after being injured in the valiant fight with Ravana to rescue Sita, Adbhuta (wonder) in Lord Hanuman leaping across the ocean and the large army of monkeys and, building a bridge across the ocean to reach Lanka, aided by a tiny squirrel, Bibhatsa (disgust) in scavenger birds feeding on the corpses of demons lying on the battle field, Hasya (humour) ) in the in the witty exchange between Surpanakha, Rama and Lakṣhmaṇa, Raudra or Krodha (anger) in Lord Sriram slaying Ravana, Bhayanaka (fear) emerged vividly as Sita recoiled in fear at the sight of ten-headed Ravana.
The recital concluded with Shanta(peace), depicting sages immersed in serene discourse with Lord Rama.
Watching Dr Pati moving seamlessly from one emotion to another, wearing each rasa as though it were second nature was truly a visual delight. Her command over abhinaya skills, soft and swaying body movements and flawless footwork showcased years of rigours training.
In particular, the scene when Jatayu was breathing his last in Lord Ram’s lap of Lord Ram left many in the audience misty-eyed.
If Navarasa was the soul of the evening, her concluding piece ‘Moksha’ was its crowning glory. Set to Raga Bhairavi, Tala Ektaali and choreographed by Guru Debaprasad Das, the piece celebrated spiritual liberation.
Showing her great command over the movements, she danced gay abandon, truly surrendering herself to the God. Dancing with effortless grace and infectious energy, Dr Pati appeared completely immersed in the performance, surrendering herself to the divine in a fitting finale.
The intermittent thunderous applause that echoed through the auditorium stood testimony to how captivating Dr Pati’s performances were. The audience rose to acknowledge not only Dr Priyanka Pati’s accomplished performance but also the unwavering guidance of her guru, Dr Suprava Mishra, whose vision continues to nurture excellence in Odissi.
A PhD in Climate Change Impacts Management and a graded artiste of Doordarshan, Dr Pati completed her Alankar in Odissi Dance under the guidance of Guru Dr. Suprava Mishra.
Over the past decade, she has performed at several prestigious festivals including the ‘Konark Dance Festival’, ‘Khajuraho Dance Festival’, ‘Modhera Dance Festival’, ‘National Youth Festival’, ‘Chakradhar Samaroh’, besides numerous cultural events across India.
Dr Priyanka is no stranger to accolades and recognitions as well. Her growing list of accolades includes the ‘Kal Ke Kalakaar’ from Sangeet Natak Academy (Gujarat) and ‘Odissi Prativa Award (Under 30)’ among several other honours.
Beyond the stage, Dr Pati remains deeply committed to promoting Indian classical dance through performances, lecture-demonstrations, workshops, examinations, and mentorship of young dancers.
She has also served as an Odissi examiner and adjudicator at prestigious cultural competitions, carrying forward the rich legacy of the classical dance form with dedication and grace.
