Bhubaneswar: The curtains came down on the 23rd edition of the Ekamra Nrutya Mahotsav with a grand finale of soul-stirring Odissi and electrifying Chhau performances at Utkal Rangamanch on Thursday.
The four-day cultural extravaganza once again underscored its reputation as one of the country’s most prestigious dance and music festivals.
What started 23 years ago as a modest initiative by Suravi—an Odissi dance institution founded by Guru Dr. Pitambar Biswal—has now blossomed into a nationally acclaimed celebration of classical Indian dance.
Back then, the festival was a three-day affair held in the open-air theatre at Ekamra Haat. It wasn’t until 2008 that the event introduced the ‘Suravi Samman’, with eminent dancers Sujata Mohapatra and Sangeeta Das being the inaugural recipients.As the years rolled on, the venue shifted first to Jayadev Bhawan in 2009 and, since 2018, has found its permanent stage at the Utkal Rangamanch, located on the premises of Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre.
With each passing edition, the festival has grown in stature, extending to four days and drawing renowned artists from across the country.
The valedictory evening began on an auspicious note with the traditional lighting of the ceremonial lamp. Dignitaries gracing the occasion included Central Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee Dr. Snehaprava Samantaray, celebrated vocalist Laxmikant Palit, Chhau exponent Subhashree Mukherjee, Odissi stalwart Guru Ratikanta Mohapatra, mardala maestro Guru Dhaneswar Swain and actress Archita Sahu.
A key highlight of the evening was the felicitation ceremony. This year’s Suravi Samman was conferred upon veteran Odissi dancer Smt. Pranati Mohanty. In addition, Guru Gobind Chandra Pal and Guru Swapneswar Chakraborty received Sri Dhirendranath Pattnaik Smruti Samman and Guru Dayanidhi Behera Smruti Samman respectively.
A special honour was also bestowed upon Padma Shri awardee Guru Durga Charan Ranbir, mentor of Dr. Pitambar Biswal.
In a rare treat for the audience, Smt. Pranati Mohanty, one of the earliest disciples of the legendary Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra, took the stage with a captivating abhinaya performance— “To Lagi Gopa Danda Mana.” Her expressive storytelling and graceful movements breathed life into the classic composition, earning thunderous applause from the connoisseurs in attendance.
Keeping the momentum alive, dancers from the host institution, Suravi, showcased their finesse and teamwork in two standout presentations. The first was “Mohana Pallavi”, set to raga Mohana and tala Malika, choreographed by Dr. Biswal, set to music by Satyabrata Katha and rhythm by Shibananda Barik . The performers—Prachi Priyadarshini Swain, Digbijay Biswal, Suravi Behera, Shilpi Saloni Adhikari, and Srileepa Das—lit up the stage with their synchronization, space management and grace.
They were later joined by Saisruti Saloni, S N Kirtti Bijayini, Snehashree Sahoo, Krutika Mohapatra, Jasmin Ransingh, and Aiprak Priyadarshini for an evocative abhinaya from Mangala Prasad’s Dhara Shri Radha, portraying the gopanganas’ divine romance with Lord Krishna. This item, choreographed by Dr. Biswal with music by the late Sumanta Mohanty and rhythm by Guru Swain, was a seamless blend of emotion, coordination, and artistry.
The accompanists who lent them a good support were Satyabrata Katha on Vocal, tutu Chhotray on the Mardala, Prakash Mohapatra on the sitar, Dr Pitambar Biswal on the Manjira and Soumyaranjan Joshi on the Flute.
The evening reached Its crescendo with a mesmerizing Chhau dance performance by the artistes of Mayur Art Centre. The ensemble—featuring Jyoti Shankar Mohapatra, Dasken Purty, Lakhai Tudu, Arjun Mundaya, Juli Deo, and Kalyani Das—performed “Bhakta Garuda,” a high-energy piece bursting with dramatic ‘paltas’ and signature Chhau movements like ‘palta, ‘sadha chali’, ‘lahara chali’, ‘dheu chali’, ‘duba chali’, ‘moda chali’and ‘uska chali’.
The performance, directed by renowned Chhau guru Achintya Kumar Behera, was a visual spectacle.
With Dr. Mrutyunjay Rath anchoring the evening as emcee and Debiprakash Mishra’s brilliant light design adding a theatrical glow to the stage, the 23rd Ekamra Nrutya Mahotsav signed off on a high note—leaving the audience yearning for more and already looking forward to the next edition.
