Apart from the noted dancers, distinguished musicians also gave sparkling recitals at the '20th Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award Festival', Bhubaneswar. Srjan’s productions, ‘Synthesis’ and ‘Kubjaa,’ choreographed by Guru Ratikant Mohapatra, dazzled.
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Opening with the Tyagaraja kriti, ‘Manasuloni’ in Varamu, Aditala, Shashank Subramanyam wove magic with his flute by showing his power in varying the breath and in technique, which are keys to changing the octaves.
In the subsequent ragam-tanam-pallavi in Kalyani, he moved effortlessly from one octave to another keeping the distinct musical entity of the raga intact. Bharatiar’s ‘Chinnanchiru kiliyae’, was appealing as was Swati Tirunal’s ‘Visheshwaradarshan kara’ in Sindubhairavi, concluding with a slightly high paced Rupaka tala based ‘Chandrasekhar.’ Sai Giridhar’s mridangam and Ganesh Prasad’s violin enhanced the enjoyable performance.
Drummer
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Charukesi is close to violinist Deepak Pandit’s heart and he played a short alaap in madhyalaya, ek taal before moving on to Puryadhanashree in madhya, drut, and atidrut and blending this raga subtly with Amritavarshini into a fine high-paced number. A short ragamala beginning with Desh, then Majh Khamaj, Tilang, Jhinjhoti, Hamsadhwani, Natbhairav and others, was delightful. There were short solo pieces by Hira Pandit (tabla) and Rajesh Srinivasan (mridangam). It was followed by a fine jugalbandi of violin and tabla in Mishra Bhairav, Punjab Ang, with Rajesh Srinivasan on the ganjira.
Sitarist Niladri Kumar played with style ornamenting the notes over all the octaves, increasing the aesthetic effects of the ragas. He began at Kharaj with a pleasing Jhinjhoti, teentaal madhyalaya bandish, (learnt from his father) and then went on to display his technical brilliance.
On the concluding evening, the Lifetime Achievement Awards for 2014 were presented to Sudhakar Sahoo (Dance), Niranjan Satapathy (Theatre), Umesh Chandra Kar (Music) and Prashant Nanda (Cinema). It was followed by Srjan’s spectacular 10 minute presentation, ‘Synthesis,’ based on ancient slokas from Rigveda’s Shraddha Sukta. One line from each had been used, beginning with ‘Shraddhagni Samidhyate Shraddha Huyate Habi’.
It was in Shraddha, the abstract qualities such as faith, care, conviction, confidence were portrayed through Odissi and blended with contemporary movements such as ballet and Odisha folk forms with leg movements similar to the adavus of Bharatanatyam. The imagery was different from Ratikant’s earlier choreographies with the contemporary music using electronic and a balanced flute score.
The music was by Annadaprasanna Patnaik and there was additional and interlude music by Satyabrata Katha. Tarakant Panda was the music arranger for both ‘Synthesis’ and ‘Kubjaa.’
‘Kubjaa’ was a captivating dance drama. Based on Srimad Bhagavatam with lyrics by Pt. Nityananda Mishra set to Lakshmikant Palit’s music, it unfurled the episode of Tribakra or Kubjaa (the hunchback). On her way to King Kangsha’s palace to anoint him, Kubjaa is noticed by Krishna who, along with Balaram, was on his way to attend the ‘Malla Fight,’ at the invitation of Kangsha.
The proud Kubjaa ignores Krishna (‘Shuno Ghanashyam Tribakra moro naam –priyo dasi mu’), but later Krishna pulls her chin up, presses her leg with his and transforms her into a beautiful woman. Kandarpa’s arrow hits her, she falls in love and invites Krishna to her home where they embrace in an ecstasy of love. A beautiful song ‘Marey maro swara Tribakraku’ (Kandarpa shoots the arrow at Tribakra) penned by Pt. Mishra set to raga Sankarabharanam, where the imagery with light effect was soaked in Shringar Rasa, was executed wonderfully by Rajashree as Krishna and Manosmita as Kubjaa.
The spotlight on Krishna and Kubjaa in deep embrace on the elevated platform at the back of the stage with other dancers in the dark at the forefront was a novel way of expressing emotions. Apart from the wonderfully trained dancers, Ratikant and his team have stretched their talents to present an imaginative piece.
(This is the second segment of a two-part article on the festival)