Bhubaneswar: The silver jubilee celebration of the Odissi Music Festival, organized by the Sangeet Sudhakar Balakrushna Das Foundation, concluded in a spectacular fashion.
The festival, a grand confluence of Odissi classical singers and musicians mesmerized the audience with its captivating presentations of Raganga, Bhabanga, and Natyangi.
Spanning four days, this musical extravaganza turned into a veritable Mahakumbh of Odissi music, with more than a thousand artists lending their voices and instruments to an unforgettable symphony of tradition and artistry.
The Inaugural evening commenced with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp by Lalit Das, Chairman of Odisha Staff Selection Commission, Biswajit Mishra, Deputy General Manager of State Bank of India, Vijay Kumar Das, Collector of Gajapati district, Pipili MLA Ashrit Pattanayak, Manoranjan Panigrahi and Guru Ramahari Das, president and secretary of the foundation respectively.
The festival’s first presentation, a soul-stirring ensemble of Mardala recital, set the stage ablaze under the expert guidance of Guru Sachidananda Das.While the Mardala players were guru Dibakar Parida, guru Ramachandra Behera, Muralidhar Swain and Arup Kumar Das( son of guru Sachchidanand Das), Soumya Ranjan Joshi lent them a good support on the Flute.
Their recital featured ‘Jamana’, ‘Ragada’, ‘Arasa’, ‘Bhaunri Arasa’, ‘Mana’, ‘Bhaunri Mana’, ‘Abiram Mana’ etc.
Following this, Dr. Bijay Jena’s rendition of Kalyan Raga’s emotive masterpiece, “Basi Kanduthiba Manini”, left the audience spellbound, evoking a deep sense of nostalgia and devotion.
A lineup of renowned vocalists, including Vidushi Bandita Ray, who sang “Chanhi deli kinchita re” based on Raga Asabari and Tala Tripata, Sangeeta Panda, who presented “Na Jani Mun Kali Pirati”, based on Raga Mohana Kedar and Tala Jati and Rupak, Lakshmipriya Nayak, who sang “Shyamala Gatre monetra padilare’, based on Raga Gamak Samanta and Tala Aditala, Niranjan Behera, who sang “Aja Shri Gostha Chandrama, based on Raga Aaravi and Tala Ektali, Monalisa Raut, who presented “Kaha Chita Taha Chahin Na Baliba”, based on Raga Kirabani and Tala Ektali,Sunita Bishwal, who sang ‘Sanginire Sakhi ki Banchiba”, based on Raga Gujari and Tala Ektali, and Sumant Kumar Das, who sang “Kalindi Kulaku Mora Sankhali Na Jare”, based on Raga Kalyan and Tala Jati, further enriched the festival with their mesmerizing solo performances, weaving intricate tapestries of ragas through their soulful singing.
Each performance was a brushstroke on the canvas of Odissi music, painting a vivid picture of its timeless allure.
The seamless anchoring of the event by Dr. Mrutyunjay Rath, Dr. Sachikanta Nayak, and Professor Lokanath Mohanty ensured that the festival ran like a well-oiled machine. The artistic direction, handled masterfully by Guru Nimakant Rautray and Guru Keshab Chandra Raut, ensured a flawless execution of the musical extravaganza.
As the curtains fell, Treasurer Raghunath Das expressed heartfelt gratitude through a formal vote of thanks, acknowledging the dedication of the artists and their invaluable contributions.
With its harmonious blend of tradition and innovation, this year’s Odissi Sangeet Mahotsav wasn’t just an event—it was an experience, an emotional journey where ragas spoke, rhythms danced, and melodies touched the soul.
