A Night of Dance and Melody: Highlights from the 32nd Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award Festival
Celebrating Classical Arts in Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar: The 32nd Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra (GKCM) Award Festival's penultimate evening showcased a beautiful blend of Bharatanatyam and flute music, captivating the audience with a rich tapestry of classical performances on Tuesday.
This event is organized by Srjan – Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Nrityabasa in partnership with Sri Sri University (SSU), Cuttack.
Among the distinguished guests were Odissi guru Dr. Snehaprava Samantray, Mardala expert Guru Sachidananda Das, and Shri Parameswar Funkwal, General Manager of East Coast Railway. They joined Guru Ratikant Mohapatra, Director of Srjan and Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Communication and Indic Studies at SSU, for the ceremonial lamp lighting.
The evening commenced with a performance by renowned Bharatanatyam artist Dr. Janaki Rangarajan, a student of Madhavi Chandrasekhar and Padma Subrahmanyam. She delivered the celebrated Pada Varnam, “Sami Ninne”, in Ragam Yadukulakambhoji and Adi Talam.
Dr. Rangarajan was supported by Smt. Shilpa Gopalakrishnan on vocals, Smt. T.V. Sukanya on violin, Shri K. Sarvesh on mridangam, and Shri S. Vijay Kumar on nattuvangam.
The second half transitioned from dance to instrumental music, featuring a flute jugalbandi with two of Odisha’s talented flautists, Abhiram Nanda and Srinibas Satapathy.
Their performance began with Raag Madhuvanti, set to Rupak Taal, allowing for a thoughtful musical exchange between the two artists.
The contrasting styles of the flautists enriched the performance, as they alternated between sustained melodies and intricate dialogues, achieving a harmonious blend of introspection and rhythmic vitality.
They later performed Pahadi Dhun in Dadra and Keherwa Taal, with young tabla artist Yashwant Vaishnav adding vibrant energy through crisp rhythmic phrases, enhancing the dynamic interplay with the melodies.
The festival is set to conclude on September 9.