New Delhi: A moving homage through Odissi dance unfolded at Triveni Kala Sangam here as Jayantika Association presented ‘To Guruji With Love’, a heartfelt tribute to Padma Shri Guru Mayadhar Raut, one of the towering figures in the world of classical Indian dance.
The evening bore witness to a symphony of rhythm, devotion, and nostalgia as his disciples came together to celebrate his legacy through his own timeless compositions.
Vipin Nair, President of the Supreme Court Advocate-on-Record Association, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, while eminent vocalist Guru Smt Rita Roy was the Guest of Honour. Renowned Odissi Guru Dr Gajendra Panda was also present as a special invitee, lending his support and appreciation to the tribute.
The programme opened with a Mangalacharan, dedicated to Lord Jagannath, performed by Aahana Jaiswal, Anya Gupta, Kuheli Kristen Pacheco, Nitya Pant, Nupur Gupta, Ruchika Bhalerao, Saisha Gupta, Shalvi Singh, and Vamika Tripathy. The dancers meditated upon the divine, invoking Jagannath, the flautist of Vrindavana, and offered a performance that set a spiritual tone for the evening.
Next came ‘Basant Pallavi’, a lyrical exposition of grace and geometry, presented by Ananya Parshotam, Anusha Nagarajan, Bonita Kataria, Nehashree Talapatra, Reshma Roshania, Rupinder Bawa, Shruthi Manjula Mohan, Tripti Manral, and Venya Bansal. True to its name, the dance blossomed like spring itself, drawing inspiration from Odissi’s temple sculpture heritage and showcasing poses such as Darpani, Alasa, and Abhimana.
A group performance of ‘Lalita Lavanga Lata’ from Jayadeva’s Gita Govinda followed, portraying the pangs of separation in spring. With Nitya Pant and Rijuta Pandav essaying the roles of Krishna and Radha’s sakhi, the piece brought to life a lovesick Radha searching for her beloved amidst spring’s teasing beauty.
One of the evening’s most stirring performances was ‘Durga Stuti’ by Sonam Samal. Drawing from Durga Saptashati and Lalita Sahasranama, the solo celebrated Devi Durga in all her divine aspects—as the embodiment of knowledge, fire, and fierce protection. Sonam’s portrayal of the slayer of demons left an indelible impression on the audience.
Equally enchanting was the Saabhinaya item based on the 15th-century Odia composition ‘Nachanti Krishna’ by Athagarh Raja Bhramarabara Birabara Rai, choreographed by Guru Raut. Featuring Aahana Jaiswal, Nitya Pant, Rijuta Pandav, Ruchika Bhalerao, and Sonam Samal, the piece depicted Krishna dancing joyfully with Radha and the Gopis under the Kadamba trees, set to traditional Odia rhythmic cycles of 14, 6, and 4 beats.
The evening also featured a solo titled ‘Jago Maheshwara’, presented by Shalvi Singh, which captured the Tandava aspect of Odissi. In this choreography, Guruji incorporated a number of Tandava poses from Shiva temples like the Chidambaram, Lingaraj, Pashupatinath and others spread across all over India and Nepal. The performance was a tour-de-force of strength and spiritual fervor.
The finale, ‘Moksha’, brought together the ensemble once more in a high-energy, pure dance offering that symbolized liberation. Shalvi Singh, Aahana Jaiswal, Anya Gupta, Kuheli Kristen Pacheco, Nitya Pant, Rijuta Pandav, Ruchika Bhalerao, Saisha Gupta, and Vamika Tripathy offered their final salutations to Lord Shiva in this classic closing piece.
Guru Dr Gajendra Panda, in his remarks, called each performance “a milestone,” lauding the dancers’ dedication and finesse.
Speaking on the occasion, dancer Sonam Samal reflected, “We dance not just for ourselves, but for the one who shaped our journeys—our Guru Mayadhar Raut and Guru Madhumita Didi. Our performance echoed the joy he brought into our lives, the fire he ignited within us, and the grace he passed on to each of us.”
Senior disciple Nitya Pant added, “Guruji’s compositions are multi-layered with intense Abhinaya. I am sure the audience today felt the depth of our Guru’s works through our dance. Performing here was truly rejuvenating for the soul.”
Trained under Guru Madhumita Raut, the disciples turned the evening into a tapestry of reverence, memory, and movement—an offering of love from every limb and breath.
