High quality performances at the 20th Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award festival (September 5 to 9), Bhubaneswar, by internationally renowned musicians and dancers marked the aesthetic offerings by Srjan, under the able guidance of Guru Ratikant Mohapatra.
In the dance segment, Debaprasad Das’ disciple, Kuala Lumpur-based Odissi dancer Ramli Ibrahim opened the evening with ‘Harihara,’ choreographed by Gajendra Panda using Sabdaswara pata in Ektaali, set to Lakshmikant Palit’s music embracing raga Darbari and Pahari.
Ramli encircled the stage with ‘anjali’ hasta before settling down to the ‘austere’ style of Debaprasad Das and some ecstatic postures such as the tandava with the trident at the Daksha Yagna. His abhinaya was intense in the Ashtapadi, ‘Priye Charusheele’ in taal Jhampa, to Balkrushna Das’s music set to Raga Patdeep, but the seated rendition was hardly visible beyond the front few rows. So the audience was deprived of his ‘Jugmahasta’ appeal, ‘Dehi padapallava Mudaram’!
Debaprasad had composed some special items to enrich the Odissi repertoire and Ramli’s concluding ‘Ashtasambhu’ of Venkatamakhi to Ramhari Das’s music set to Raga Malava Kaushika, tala Tripata, was one of them. His vigorous ‘Manas Ban Bhati Himgiri Nikata’ and portrayal of drinking the poison made a lasting impression. It was enhanced by the best of accompanists, guru Dhaneswar Swain (mardal), Gajendra Panda (manjira), Swapeneswar Chakravarty (sitar) and Abhiram Nanda (flute) with a rather dampened vocal rendition by Sukanta Kundu.
Vaibhav Arekar’s brilliant Bharatanatyam showcased his stunning presence, communication with bits of special virtuosity and the performance also saw phrasing, theme, enrichment and climax.
After the ‘Ganesh Vandana,’ ‘Ardhanarishwar,’ based on Dikshitar’s lyrics in Kumudakriya, had a sweet prologue of Siva reminding Parvati, who threatened to walk out with her sons, that she is an inseparable part of him. The contrasting Tandava/Lasya execution using the performance space and frozen stances at the word ‘Ardhanariswaram’ or the still points, turned the dancing into a interpretative mural decoration.
Two pieces choreographed by Kanak Rele from ‘Shubhashita Ratnakosha,’ based on ‘Hasya ras’ brought out the fine acting skills of Vaibhav. One was on the banter between Kartikeya with six heads and Ganesh with his elephant trunk and large ears which Kartikeya tweaks.
The other was a Reetigowla-based episode of Vishnu’s surprise visit to the meditating Digambar Siva, who quickly snatches the tiger skin and ties it in place with the snake around his neck. On seeing Garuda, the snake raises his hood and is slapped down by the dancer, but being scared it slithers away leaving Siva undressed. The hilarious story-telling by Vaibhav with fantastic abhinaya brought the house down.
‘Mukti’ was a ragam-tanam, Thodi-based poignant tale of the low caste Nandanar. His frustrations at not being able to catch a glimpse of Lord Siva, as Nandi wouldn’t move, was depicted through exquisite nritya and natya. The final joy of the ‘darshan’ when Nandi shifts a bit had movements of grace. No written poetry was sung in this piece.
Instead of the usual Tillana, he concluded with a small Tillana-embellished thematic composition, ‘Triyanta’ on Ritumala, depicting the transformation of life.
Kaleeshwaran Pillai’s nattuvangam, Shivaprasad’s vocal support, Dakshinamurty’s mridangam, Satyavishal’s violin and Sushant Jadav’s lighting made Vaibhav’s recital memorable.
Prashant Shah began his powerful, riveting Kathak with the famous Mira bhajan, ‘Marho Pranam Banke Biharijiko,’ followed by ‘Aakar,’ a bouquet of shuddha nritta, where the renditions were reflections of the intricate tala patterns within the format of crisp, powerful Uthan, paran, khare pyer ka tihai (foot work with erect legs), chakkar ka tihai and its jodi, tukhra, tohra, ladi and jugalbandi with Jogi Joy’s tabla in Teentaal showing the dancer’s wizardry in rhythm. The concluding ghazal, ‘Hamara Dil Sabereka Sunehra Jam Ho Jaye,’ was disappointing.
After Daksha Mashruwala’s solo, ‘Devi Vandana’ to Durga, Saraswati and Lakshmi and the abhinaya of Khandita Nayika in ‘Yahi Madhava,’ her organisation, Kaishiki, extended the boundary of Odissi to present, ‘The Saggy Baggy Elephant,’ written by Kathryn and Byron Jackson. Choreographed by Ratikant Mohapatra with lovely movements of ducks, crocodile, eagle and other animals, lively music by Agnimitra Behera, with Srinibas Satpathy on the flute and music arranged by Tarakant Panda, the children’s story had graphics by Amruta Shah.
Fine movements and lovely costumes made this story of a baby elephant, Sooky, who regains his confidence, quite enjoyable.
