Bhubaneswar: The inaugural item of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award Festival’s third evening was a Kathak recital by Gauri Diwakar.
She presented Dheera, encompassing the Kathak repertoire with four segments. She began with Chabili Naar, based on the text and music composition of Ghulam Sabir Khan Saheb, and Sabb bann than aai shyam pyari re, the text for which was written by Pt. Bindadin Maharaj, composed in Raag Hameer by Pt. Birju Maharaj. Her third presentation was a composition of Meera Bai choreographed by Dheerendra Tiwari and Gauri Diwakar to Samiuallah Khans music. Finally, she presented Naino Ke Dore Laal Gulal Bhare choreographed by Aditi Mangaldas to Samiullah Khans music composition.
She was accompanied by Yogesh Gangani on the Tabla and Samiullah Khan on vocals and the harmonium.
In Dheera, Gauri Diwakar explored the mystique of a Nayikas beauty, desire for celebration and her quest for liberation and beauty both within and outside.
The second half of the evening witnessed Abhishek Raghuram captivating the audience with his soulful renditions of compositions by Saint Tyagaraja. With an illustrious lineage of Carnatic music and a performance career spanning two decades, Abhishek’s first item was Nenarunchara composed in the rare Raga Simhavaahini, with rhythmic elements of Adi Talam.
This was followed by Durmaargacharaa in Raga Ranjani and Rupaka Talam (3 beats), symbolic of the anguish that Tyagaraja faced, when he was unable to flatter people treading on the path of Durmaarg. The third song Neevaadane Gaana, composed in Raga Saranga, brought forth the spirituality, musical harmony, and emotions that both Carnatic music and Tyagaraja deem as the essence of their compositions.
He concluded with a song on Lord Nataraja at Chidambaram, composed in Ragam Behag and Adi Talam by Shri Gopalakrishna Bharathi. He was ably supported by Mysore V Srikanth on the violin and Anantha R Krishnan on the Mridangam.
By kalasanskruti
(Photo courtesy: Srjan)
