The mardal’s rhythmic beats, music and ankle bells reverberated in the Satyajit auditorium of the Rabindranath Tagore Centre, ICCR, Kolkata, during a recent three-day Odissi festival, ‘Shraddhanjali.’ The event was held to pay homage to the legendary Kelucharan Mohapatra on his 10th death anniversary. It was organised by the Odissi Dancers Forum in association with ICCR and Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre.
Mohapatra’s disciples including his son Ratikant, are carrying his legacy forward.
The inaugural day began with a documentary on the life and work of the doyen. It was followed by a symposium on the physical and mental wellbeing of a dancer. The evening session saw some fine performances. It began with the invocatory Mangalacharan, ‘Krishna Tandava’ in Desh, Ektaali, by Rajashree Behera. In true Deba Prasad style, after the fixed slokas of ‘Patra Prabesh’ and ‘Sodasha Vadya Sloka’ for ‘Pushpanjali,’ she displayed her proficiency in nritta in the sloka ‘Kasturi tilakam lalat.’
The next abhinaya, ‘Navarasa,’ in Malika, taal Malika, saw the nine emotions chosen from the various incidents of the Ramayana and was sensitively portrayed.
In ‘Hanuman Vandana,’ ‘Bande Santam Sri Hanumantam,’ the abhinaya of Ratikant was on the eulogy of the Monkey God, where poet Vithaldas extols his virtues by weaving different incidents of his life (‘Ram Kathamrita Madhu Nipibantham’).
Ratikant showcased his virtuosity, by transcending the technique to a memorable imagery in this Kalyan, Ektaali-based number, choreographed by his father with music by Pt. Raghunath Panigrahi.
With Ghanashyam Panda’s singing, Ratikant’s expressions, intense execution of crossing the bridge across the sea to Ashoke Vatika in Lanka, handing over Ram’s ring to Sita and subsequently ‘Chudamani Pradan’ by Sita with Hanuman smearing vermillion all over his body and the final, ‘Ram Jai Jai Ram, Siaram,’ in a fast tempo, cast a spell on the audience.
Students of senior dancer Arundhuti Roy disappointed with their ‘Dasavatar’ and so did veteran Poushali Mukherjee’s group with ‘Bibhusanam.’
Debamitra Sengupta had a fine stage presence and as Krishna frolicking with the gopinis (with her group), she was skilful in ‘Nachhanti Rangey Srihari,’ set to Arbi, taal Ektaali.
Kakoli Bose’s Behag Pallavi was mediocre and so was Subikash Mukherjee in Hamsadhwani Pallavi, presenting the Ashtapadi, ‘Haririha Mugadha’ with his group. Rina Jana, a fine senior dancer, had her Khamoj Pallavi interrupted by a technical problem.
The second and the third evening saw a number of senior as well as up-and-coming dancers.
Rajib Bhattacharya, an established dancer, was convincing in ‘Ram Stutee,’ the Mangalacharan, ‘Keki Kantha Neelam,’ set to Megh and Kedar in taal Chaturasra Ektaali with music by Pt. Bhubaneswar Mishra. His well-trained students performed Shankarabharanam Pallavi.
Others worth mentioning are Arpita Venkatesh in the Ashtapadi, ‘Srita Kamala,’ in Mishra Chhayanat taal Jyoti and Ektaali, and Rajneeta Mehera (Banerjee) in Mohona Pallavi and the abhinaya, ‘Tolagi Gopatunda.’ Arnab Bandopadhyay’s ‘Ardhanariswara’ was well presented.
The entire choreography except the first one was by Kelucharan Mohapatra.
