Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, March 3: The 8th Odissi Dance and Music Jugalbandi concert organised by Mokhya which began Monday concluded with scintillating performances by prominent Odissi danseuses and young classical singers at Rabindra Mandap Tuesday.
The two-day programme enthralled audiences with beautiful performances from some leading artistes such as Swapna Rani Sinha, Chandrika Rana, Nimakant Routray, Dheeraj Mahapatra, Minati Bhanja and Dr Sujata Mishra.
Soumya Biswajit and Bijayalaxmi, two young classical singers who sang Jagannathastakam, a song by Adiguru Sankaracharya, enthralled the audience with their performance.
Soumya, a Class-IX student of Loyola School said, “My mother is a singer with All India Radio; she is the one who inspired me to learn classical singing. Though my mother used to teach me at home, my formal training in singing began four years back under the guidance of Guru Nimakant Routray. I have been regularly giving performances in various programmes and I really enjoy doing that.”
“I’m also a classical dancer but I mostly like singing. In the beginning, when I started my training in classical singing and dancing, my friends used to discourage me. But when they saw my performance, their attitude changed and now they really like my performance and support me,” Soumya said. Does he plan to pursue singing as a career? “I haven’t given it much thought. I love it as an extracurricular activity right now but haven’t decided on the future,” Soumya added.
A Class VI student of Vivekananda School in Chandrasekharpur, Bijayalaxmi said she was drawn to music from an early age thanks to her father. “From an early childhood, I was hugely attracted towards music. My father is a classical singer and when he noticed my interest in singing, he began training me. I love classical music and would want to become a classical singer when I grow up,” Bijayalaxmi said.