Bhubaneswar: The annual Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award Festival, for its sheer grandeur, is one of the most awaited events in the cultural calendar of the state. However, the 26th edition commenced Saturday on digital platforms thanks to the outbreak of coronavirus. This year, the five-day event is being organised by Srjan, a premier institute of Odissi dance and music, to fulfil its responsibility towards the society and the members of art fraternity.
In view of pandemic, the gala event was inaugurated virtually in the evening and premiered on Facebook Live and YouTube.
Srjan dedicated this year’s festival in memories of late Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj, who was extremely closed to Guru Kelucharan Mohpatra and Jaydev Das, an eminent theatre actor, director and light designer.
The event was officially inaugurated by veteran actress and MP Hema Malini and attended virtually by several luminaries from the art world.
The festival commenced with an Odissi recital by Madhusmita Mohanty, renowned Odissi dancer from Bhubaneswar. The presentation was choreographed by Guru Aruna Mohanty, set to the music composition of Bijay Kumar Jena and rhythm composition of Guru Dhaneswar Swain and Guru Bijay Kumar Barik.
This was followed by a timeless and evergreen composition of the legendary Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra set to the music composition of Pt. Bhubaneswar Mishra. Madhumita concluded her recital with the Ashtapadi – “Mādhave, mā kuru mānini mānam aye,” an excerpt from poet Shri Jayadeva’s Geeta Govinda. In this expressive piece, the sakhi pleads with Radha to forgive Madhava for his wanton ways and reunite with him. Choreographed by Guru Aruna Mohanty to the music composition of Subash Pani, this presentation was in Raag Saveri and Ekatali.
The Odissi danseuse was ably accompanied on the vocals by Rupak Kumar Parida, on the Mardala by Guru Bijay Kumar Barik, on the flute by Srinibas Satapathy, and on the violin by Suramani Ramesh Chandra Das and Agnimitra Behera.
The highlight of the inaugural evening was the recital by the Mohan Veena virtuoso, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. A recipient of the Padma Bhushan and the Grammy award, Pt. Bhatt explored the intricacies and nuances of six mellifluous tunes, namely Raag Yaman, Raag Ramdasi Malhar, Raag Tilak Kamod, Raag Jaijaiwanti, Raag Pilu, and Raag Hamsadhwani. This online program will conclude Wednesday