Kolkata: The Gyan Manch auditorium here came alive as the Upasana Centre for Dance hosted the 5th edition of its Moonsoon Festival on August 3, leaving art lovers asking for more.
Established in 1984 by renowned Kathak exponent Guru Ashimbandhu Bhattacharjee, the Upasana Centre for Dance has, over the decades, carved a niche for itself as one of premier Kathak institutions in India.
A government registered institution, it is empanelled with the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Government of India, and Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
Not confining itself to only organising festivals and nurturing young talents, it has also been carrying out activities to strengthen cultural exchanges across international borders.
Launched five years ago, the Upasana Centre for Dance has only gone from strength to strength, steadily earning a special place on West Bengal’s cultural calendar and emerging as one of the eagerly-awaited festivals.
This year’s edition was dedicated to the birth centenary of Padma Vibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, paying tribute to the legendary Odissi maestro whose legacy still continues to inspire generations.
The cultural segment got off to a fine start with Srjan ensemble from Bhubaneswar presenting “Rupantaram”, a thoughtfully curated bouquet of choreographic works comprising ‘Shiva Tandava Stotram’, ‘Jeevana Madhu Sangeeta Maya’, ‘Shrirama Bhajan’, and ‘Vande Suryam’.
The ensemble comprised Rajashri Praharaj, Aishwariya Singdev, Preetisha Mohapatra, Madhabi Rout, Daina Ghose, Pallishri Priyadarshini, Prachi Mohanty, G. Sanjay, and Rajkumar Kar who left the audience captivated with their neat presentations from start to finish. The production earned generous applause.
The evocative lighting designed and operated by Debiprasad Mishra added another feather to eth production’s cap, perfectly synching with the changing moods of each presentation.
The spotlight was then shifted to evening’s much-awaited production ‘Geetagovind’, inspired by the timeless 12th-century masterpiece of poet Jayadeva, by the Upasana Centre for Dance’s artistes.
As the well-trained artistes breathed life into celebrated compositions like ‘Srita Kamala Kucha Mandala’, ‘Pralaya Payodhi’, ‘Lalita Labangalata’, ‘Dheera Sameere’, ‘Pashyati Dishi Dishi’, ‘Yahi Madhava’ and ‘Kuru Yadu Nandan’, the auditorium was steeped in devotion, emotion and aesthetic beauty.
The performances struck all right chords, leaving the art lovers thoroughly mesmerised.
Choreographed, directed and recreated by Guru Ashimbandhu Bhattacharjee, with music composed by Sunando Mukherjee, the items were beautifully presented by Ranjani, Avik, Anamika, Srijita, Trisha, Durjaya, Debasmita, Srishty, Nandini, Ankana, Gongotri and Guru Ashimbandhu Bhattacharjee himself.
Soumen Chakraborty’s deft lighting design added layer to the visual appeal of the production.
By the time the curtains came down, it was evident that the Moonsoon Festival had once again lived up to its growing reputation, etching yet another unforgettable chapter in Kolkata’s vibrant cultural landscape, indeed.
