Bhubaneswar: The evening session of the concluding day of the three-day-long 14th Odissi International beginning December 18, organised by Samskritiki at Utkal Rangamanch in Bhubaneswar, had a pleasant surprise for the jam-packed audience in store.
After the customary lighting the lamp and felicitation ceremonies, the emcee of the evening (Swati Pattanayak) announced that five Odissi dancing couples are going to perform. It had the art lovers and common audience in the auditorium on the edge of their seats. It was interesting to watch the couples perform on the stage.
The first couple came onto the stage was Pankaj Kumar Pradhan and Anusuya Pradhan. Pankaj, who is presently working as a guest faculty at the Odissi Dance Department of Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, is a disciple of Padma Shri recipient Guru Aruna Mohanty. Similarly, Anusuya, who is trained in Odissi dance under the watchful eyes of Guru Sura Khuntia, Guru Swapnarani Sinha and Guru Pratibha Panda, is presently working as an associate manager at Annapurna Finance. They married on December 12, 2021.
They presented a Mangalacharan ‘Dhyaye Subarna Barna’, based on Raga Mohana and Tala Jati, choreographed by Padma Shri recipient Guru Gangadhar Pradhan and Guru Aruna Mohanty, music composed by Guru Gopal Chandra Panda. In this item, they praised and invoked Goddess Durga who protects everyone. The level of details they conveyed in this item and their subtle expressions gave a befitting start to the evening. Their presentation was a visual treat indeed.
The next couple was the youngest one of the five ones- Bijan Pallai and Soumya Sucharita Pal. They married on May 21, 2023.
The couple is now running an Odissi dance institution named ‘Padamruta Dance Academy’ in Bhubaneswar.
They presented ‘Bihag Pallavi’, choreographed by himself, rhythm composed by Guru Dhaneswar Swain and music composed by Guru Sukant Kumar Kundu. The item was based on Raga Bihag and Tala Jati.
With their graceful, precision and clear movements and expressions, they immediately had the audience in their thrall.
The third couple of the evening was Guru Ashok Ghoshal and Bandita Ghoshal. They have been married for 16 years. Dedicated themselves to the cause of dance, the couple is running an Odissi dance institution ‘Nrutyashala’ in Bhubaneswar. Their institution mounts a festival ‘Margi’ every year to provide a stage to established as well as budding talents.
As a couple, they have performed at many national and international level festivals in India and abroad. They presented ‘Barsha, Basant, Baisakh’. While Guru Ashok Ghoshal choreographed it, music composed by Himanshu Sekhar Swain and rhythm by Muralidhar Swain.
In this piece, through their powerfull depictions of stages of human life, we, as the audience, could understand how our childhood, adulthood and elderhood are similar to the cycle of seasons. The couple executed the nrutta aspects effectively and flawlessly.
Next, Pabitra Kumar Pradhan and Sridutta Bhol came onto the stage to cast a magical spell on the audience. They presented the Ashtapadi ‘Radha Badana’. The production, set to Raga Raga Malika and Tala Tala Malika, highly inspiring choreography of Padma Shri recipient Guru Aruna Mohanty, attuned to music composed by Dr Subash Pani and rhythm by Guru Dhaneswar Swain and Guru Bijay Kumar Barik, was a visual delight.
Pabitra and Sridutta, who are presently associated with Odisha Dance Academy, a Bhubaneswar based Odissi dance institution founded by Guru Gangadhar Pradhan, exchanged garlands in 2005. They had the opportunity to learn Odissi dance from Guru Gangadhar Pradhan and Guru Bichitrananda Swain and Guru Aruna Mohanty.
The couple’s presentation ticked all boxes of an enjoyable recital.
The last couple of the evening was Guru Manaranjan Pradhan and Minati Pradhan, who have been married for 25 years.
The couple has dedicated their lives to Odissi dance. Guru Manaranjan Pradhan, who is the cousin brother of Padma Shri recipient late Guru Gangadhar Pradhan, is presently working as the head of the Odissi department at Utkal University of Culture. On the other hand, his wife and disciple Minati Pradhan is grooming talents at her institution ‘Shree Radha Kalakunja’, established in the year 2007.
They chose a gem from the ocean Padma Vibhushan recipient legendary Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra’s choreographies, an abhinaya ‘Nachanti Range Shri Hari’, set to Raga Aravi and Tala Ekatali, music composed by Pandit Bhubaneswar Mishra.
The couple did ample justice to the choreography while executing the nritta and abhinaya with considerable prowess. Their depiction of Krishna playing with Gopis was excellent.
The evening will definitely be etched in my memory, and perhaps in others’ as well.
This year, the festival witnessed a participation of over 200 dancers from inside and outside the state including 22 dancers from abroad, a maximum of six from neighbouring Bangladesh, followed by five from the USA, four from Taiwan and one each from Canada, Poland, South Africa, Dubai, Sweden and Japan.
Photo courtesy: Soulful Odisha
