Bhubaneswar: Renowned Bharatnatyam dancer Smt. Anita Mallick from Kolkata and much sought after Odissi vocalist Rupak Kumar Parida were the attractions of the second evening of OMC Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award Festival on Monday.
Smt. Anita Mallick, a disciple of Guru Smt. Thankamani Kutty and founder of Saraswat Sanskriti Kendra, commenced her recital with Ambika Pallavi, from the Lalitha Sahasranamam, based on Ragam Tailang and Adi Talam, praising the omnipotent Devi Ambika. Her next item was Krishna Anubhavam, in Raga Malika, and Adi Talam, presenting a reflection of Lord Krishna’s majestic and captivating nature.
Her third presentation was a Keertanam based on Ragam Revati and Adi Talan. Here, the dancer pays obeisance to Lord Shiva, the controller of the eternal cycle of life – creation, evolution and destruction.
Her concluding item was a popular She concluded her presentation with a Rama Bhajan Thumaka Chalata Rama Chandra, composed by Sant Tulasidas, set to Raag Yamuna Kalyani and Adi (Tisra Nadai) Taal.
Her body language, facial expressions and space management spoke volume of her technical prowess. She was ably accompanied on vocals by OS Arun and Vasudha Ravi, on the Mridangam by MS Sukhi and NK Keshavan, on the flute by Navinkumar and Palghat Sairam, on the Violin by T Sivaganesan and Smt. Srilakshmi Venkata Ramani, and on the Nattuvangam by MS Sukhi and Sudharani Raghupati.
In the second half of the evening, Rupak Kumar Parida enthralled the online audience, connoisseurs by his soulful presentations.
He commenced with a song composed by poet Shri Gopala Krishna Pattnaik, set to Raag Kirwani and Ekatali. He then moved on to present an Ashtapadi, Virachita Chatu Vachana, from Shri Jayadeva’s Geeta Govinda, set to the music composition of the legendary Pt. Raghunath Panigrahi in Raag Bihag and Ekatali, before moving on to five back-to-back renditions of traditional Odia songs and Bhajans, including Sate ki Bhangi Kala, in Raag Maj Khamaj and Jati taal, Lajare Sarigali Aja in Raag Mishra Khamaj and Ekatali, Barijakhi Manaru Mana in Raag Mishra Pilu and Khemta taal, Mohana Murati Chailo, in Raag Bhairavi and Khemta taal, and finally concluded with a “Sa Champu,” Shapatha ti Mora re, composed in Raag Singhendra Madhyam and Jati Taal. The speciality of a Champu is that every new line begins with the same letter, in this case “Sa.”
The entire music recital was directed by Dr. Bijay Kumar Jena and Guru Satchidananda Das, Muralidhar Swain and Priyanka Rath and Sritattva Mishra lent him a good support on the Mardala, on the Harmonium and on the Tanpura respectively.
The evening was compered by Maya Krishnamurty, a member of the Srjan ensemble.
Photo courtesy: Srjan
