BHUBANESWAR: The 3-day festivities of Dhauli-Kalinga Mahotsav were kick started at the beautifully decorated peace pagoda of Dhauli here Friday. Visitors are set to be mesmerised by the lights, sounds and sights at the venue from Friday to Sunday at 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm every day.
Organised at the foothills of ancient Dhauli since the year 2003, Dhauli-Kalinga Mahotsav has been able to create an identity for itself and got its due prominence in the cultural map of India. The festival contains cultural multiplicity and a whole range of diverse stream of performing arts; be it classical, folk or martial.
The festival is a unique confluence of more than 500 artistes belonging to various art forms of Indian dance tradition and it celebrates ‘unity in diversity’. The Dhauli peace Pagoda as the backdrop of stage inspires the artistes to cherish the idea of love, peace, compassion and humanity. The festival is a grand celebration of harmony between history and modernity.
The penultimate objective is to preserve, promote and popularise the heritage at the national and international level. The ambience is enchanting, performances enthralling and the audience encompassing. It is a true presentation of artistic excellence.
The opening act of the evening was Geeta Mahatmiyam. It was enacted jointly by Anitha Guha and Group from Chennai, Gauri Diwakar and Group from New Delhi and Janardhan Raj Urs and Group from Bhubaneswar.
The topics presented in the dance production are merely a representative set of ideas from the Gita. It is our sincere wish that it motivates all to go through the entire text under the guidance of a revered and competent Guru. This production is choreographed by Padmashree Aruna Mohanty (Odissi, Gotipua). Co- choreographers are Anitha Guha (Bharatanatyam), Gauri Diwakar (Kathak) and Janardhan Urs Raj (Contemporary).
Janardhan Raj Urs is a highly promising and a versatile dancer. Years of rigorous training, dedicated approach and hard work have made Janardhan a dancer of repute. He has had intensive training in Kathak under Guru. Maya Rao, for several years and contemporary dance under Madhu Nataraj Kiran.
Aruna Mohanty combines extensive research, lessons from the Guru and innovative thinking to present challenging concepts. Her unique skill and versatility make her the worthy recipient of many awards and accolades. She is the recipient of several honours, from the Padmashri, Central and State Sangeet Natak Akademi, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and Mahari awards. She has been visiting USA as visiting faculty to some of the universities in CA.
The opening act was followed by Mayurbhanji Chhau Dance by Mayur Art Centre, Bhubaneswar. The institution is devoted to the training, preservation, performance and research of Mayurbhanj style of Chhow dance. Established in 1980, it maintains a full repertory group of dancers and musicians.
Meticulously trained the group has been performing all over the country and abroad since more than two decades. Sponsored by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations, New Delhi, the group visited Portugal, Spain, Holland and Italy in 1980; participated in the Festival of India in France and Germany in 1989 and 1991 and visited Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Zanzibar and Mozambique in 2001. For over two decades the group is representing Mayurbhanj Chhow in all major dance festivals of India.
