Bhubaneswar: 10th century Mukteswar Temple’s vimanas and the architectural marvel arch in the backdrop, an open stage, a well manicured green lawn interspersed with flower plants and bushes decorated with starry string lights with Pipili appliqué lamp cages hanging from trees and last but not the least and the nip in the air made the ambience of three-day long Mukteswar Dance Festival-2020 a perfect one, making it enjoyable for dance connoisseurs and common audience.
The tradition of the festival is that it begins with a chorus followed by solo, duet and group Odissi dance recitals.
With no exception, the inaugural evening kicked started with a chorus ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ was performed by Padma Shri Prafulla Kar and his troupe.
A Pondicherry based Odissi dancer, Sangeeta Das, a disciple of Guru Devaprasad Das and Guru Durga Charan Ranbir, began her presentation with an abhinaya titled ‘Shiva Vandana’ and ‘Laxmi Stutee’. A recipient of Central and State Sangeet Natak Akademy award, Sangeeta ended her presentation with ‘Ki Sunibi Aka..’, an abhinaya based on Radha and Krishna, set to music composed by Guru Ramahari Das and choreographed by Sangeeta herself.
Next was a moving duet presentation, performed by Lima Bhol and Arupa Gayatree. They performed an abhinaya titled ‘Ki Nadare…’, music composed by Guru Gopalchandra Panda and Guru Bijay Jena, rhythm composed by Guru Dhaneswar Swain and Guru Bijay Barik and choreographed by Guru Aruba Mohanty.
Both the dancers were excellent in giving justice to the item by executing with perfectness.
The evening came to an end with a group recital by Parwati Dutta and her troupe from Aurangabad. With ‘Shivashtakam’ set to raag ‘jog’, they began their presentation. Next item was an abhinaya titled ‘Puni Thare Asa’. They concluded their performance with a Moksha presentation, based on Buddhist Chanting.
The second evening’s chorus was rendered by Bikash Shukla and group. They presented ‘Shiva Sadaskhyara Stotram.
The next item was a solo by Pallavi Das, a disciple of Guru Dr. Chitra Krishnamurti. Her presentation ‘Shiva Dhee Mahi…’, choreographed by Guru Aruna Mohanty and Madhulita Mohanty, left the audience mesmerised. In the following duet item, Suraj Sahu and Manoj Pradhan, disciples of Guru Durga Charan Ranbir, presented ‘Chakrabaka Pallavi’ and ‘Ardhanariswara’. Students of Guru Pankaj Charan Odissi Research Foundation presented a Mangalacharan ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ and ‘Gatibilasa Pallavi’ set to raag Bakula Varana.
The third and the concluding evening was started with a chorus by Guru Ramahari Das and his group. They presented a ‘Shiva Vandana’.
Following the tradition, Soumya Bose from Kolkata performed ‘Shiva Stutee:Ravanakrita Shiva Tandava’ and ‘Krishna Tandav:Nachanti Range Sri Hari’.
Santosh Kumar Ram and Sameer Kumar Panigrahi’s duet item was a Pallavi set to raag Ananda Vairabhi. The following item was ‘Arddha Nariswara’. The last item of the concluding evening was by Kumkum Mohanty and group. In all the three items-Shiva Bandana, Pallavi, based on raag Mohana and an Abhinaya ‘Bhavani Ashtakam’, the dancers’ facial expression, body movement and synchronization made them worth watching.
Mukteswar Dance Festival is organised every year by the Department of Tourism, Government of Odisha in association with Odisha Tourism Development Corporation and Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi.
By Kalasanskruti
