Bhubaneswar: The enchanting ‘Pratibimbh’, hosted by Purnanga, the Odissi Research Foundation, was held at Utkal Rangamanch, on the premises of GKCM Odissi Research Center, in Bhubaneswar on November 13.
This sixth edition of the festival, curated by young and talented Odissi dancer Abhijit Deb, the founder of Purnanga ORF, witnessed professionally packaged and presented performances that delighted art connoisseurs.
Before delving into the festival, it is worth acknowledging the journey of its curator. Hailing from Agartala, Abhijit moved to Kolkata solely to learn Odissi. Later he joined the Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra Odissi Research Center, Bhubaneshwar for advance training. Under the rigorous guidance and watchful eyes of Padma Shri recipient Guru Kumkum Mohanty, Guru Muktilata Pal, and Guru Bichitrananda Swain, and armed with an MFA in Odissi Dance from Rabindra Bharati University, he established himself as a dedicated performer with several national and international credits.
The festival began with an auspicious lighting the lamp ceremony attended by distinguished guests like head of Vrindavan and Bhubaneswar branches of Bharat Seva Ashram Sangha Jagannathananda Swami, Odissi dance gurus Smt Muktilata Pal, Smt Minakshi Behera, Smt Minati Pradhan, Mardala exponent Guru Satchidananda Das, Samay Magazine’s chief editor Guru Kalyan Mahapatra.
In their addresses, they heaped praises on Purnanga ORF and wished continued success.
The evening began with ‘Guru Vandana’, set to Raga Ragamalika and Tala Ektali, choreographed by Guru Abhijit Deb, music composed by Guru Sukanta Kumar Kundu and rhythm by Guru Dhaneswar Swain. Here, the institution’s five well-trained dancers offered their salutations to the guru, who opens the eyes blinded by darkness of ignorance. Their lyrical body movements, perfect mudras and the space management testified to the quality of training at Purnanga ORF.
The stage was then taken up by 16 artistes who presented Mangalacharan ‘Namami’, based on Raga Ragamalika and Tala Ektali, choreographed by legendary Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, music composed by Pandit Bhubaneswar Mishra and dance direction by Abhijit Deb. Here the artistes offered pushpanjali to Lord Jagannath and Lord Ganesha and invoked their blessings. The item was a visual delight indeed.
The following item was a novelty for many in the audience. Six dancers of the institution presented ‘Tishra Namaskriya’, showcasing its innovative curriculum additions. Here the dancers offer salutation to the earth (Bhumi) and Ishta Devata through pure dance along with shloka and where different jatis and pure sargam of a particular raga is used. The item, set to Tala Ektali (Tishra Jati), choreographed by Abhijit Deb, music composed by Guru Sukanta Kumar Kundu, rhythm by Guru Satchidananda Das, won hearts.
The next item was also offered a different taste. Nine artistes presented ‘Namaskriya’, set to Raga Bajrakanti, Tala Ektali (Chaturasra Jati), choreographed by Guru Abhijit Deb, music composed by Guru Rupak Kumar Parida and rhythm composed by Guru Rama Chandra Behera. The piece added another research-driven dimension to the festival.
One of the evening’s most experimental offerings, ‘Purnanga Siksha Pranali’, revealed how students are taught and trained in the institution. 27 dancers enacted classroom scenes-starting from how their positions are corrected to how their yogic exercises are rectified-highlighting the exhaustive training that shapes professional dancers. Choreographed by Guru Abhijit Deb, the concept resonated strongly with viewers.
What came next was a visual treat for eyes trained in Odissi dance. A distinguished Bharatanatyam dancer Dr Satyajit Debnath, who came from Agartala, presented Pada Varnam ‘Shree Krishna Kamalanatho’, set to Ragam Riti Gowla and Talam Adi, composed by T V Shrinivas and choreographed by Dr K Madhavi. His energetic execution of episodes like ‘putana moksham’ and ‘geetopadesha’ showcased his command over both nritta and abhinaya. His straight lines, geometrical stances and emotive clarity drew admiration.
What followed next was ‘Batu’, a pure dance piece dedicated to Lord Batuka Bhairava, one of the 64 fierce aspects of Lord Shiva, presented by 10 artistes of Purnanga ORF. While the item was based on Raga Mohana and Tala Ektali, choreographed by Padma Vibhushan recipient Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and directed by Guru Abhijit Deb, it was a wonderful experience to soak in the brilliance of choreography and the dancers doing justice to it.
The pace shifted with a spectacular solo Kathak recital by Miss Liu Pei, who came all way from Beijing, China. She commenced her recital with ‘Shiva Stutee’, choreographed by Dr Manab Parai. Here she depicted how the cosmic dancer’s Tandav is a powerful representation of the rhythm of the universe-creation, preservation, and destruction all happening in harmony, displaying her vitality and devotion that left the art lovers captivated. She followed it up with Tarana, set to Raga Yaman and choreographed by Dr Manab Parai. The presentation, marked by graceful movements. Intricate rhythmic footwork and fast pirouettes, drew widespread applause.
The ninth item of the evening was a solo Bharatanatyam recital by Sandra Nandini Ludwig, who came from Heidelbarg, Germany. She presented Minakshi Kirtanam, set to Ragam Keeravani and Taalam Adi Thalam, choreographed by V P and Shanta Dhananjayan and music composed by Papanasam Shivam. Sandra portrayed the birth of Goddess Minakshi with surprising ease for a non-Indian dancer, reflecting deep internalisation of the form.
The spotlight was then shifted to the festival’s most anticipated item, a duet Odissi recital by Guru Abhijit Deb and Xiaozhen Zhao, (Beijing). They presented ‘Ardhanariswar Shlokam’, set to Raga Ragamalika and Tala Talamalika, a celebrated choreography of legendary Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra with music composed by Pandit Bhubaneswar Mishra.Their depiction of Shiva and Parvati’s unified form was executed with impeccable coordination and arresting visuals. Particularly striking were their poses formed by standing one behind the other, evocatively portraying the duality and unity of the divine energies.
The festival came to an end with an explosion of colours through four vibrant Sambalpuri folk dances ‘A Baulo Rasiya pachhe Padi Galena’, ‘Paani Ta Paani’, ‘Chham Chham Bajuchhi Re’, and ‘Sagada Gadi’ performed by the artistes of Purnanga ORF.
What added a unique dimension to the festival was artist Swaraj Kumar Nayak created a live painting on a side podium, capturing what was unfolding on the stage.
The seamless anchoring by Dr Srinivas Ghatuary (Milan) ensured a fluid and engaging evening.
‘Pratibimbh’ successfully reflected Purnanga ORF’s commitment to research-based exploration, disciplined training, and classical integrity while embracing cross-cultural participation, at the same time, honoured tradition, welcomed innovation, and celebrated the universality of dance.
