There is something so delightful and charming about senior Odissi dancer and teacher Sujata Mohapatra, that she can win over even the most impassive. It is not just her grace or emoting skill, of which she has plenty, but perhaps her cheerfulness and commitment that set her apart.
As she navigated through the deceptively easy sculpturesque stances, gracefully gliding like a fluid hinge between the bends in the neck, waist and knee for the ‘tribhanga,’ she created magic of the highest aesthetic quality.
Odissi is extremely lyrical; the accent is not on the groundedness as in Bharatanatyam but on the ability to balance on one leg and manoeuvre leg lifts and achieve the body bends gracefully. While it is a complicated style to master, it also needs a high degree of precision and timing as it is a predominantly rehearsed style, where every note in the music matches a particular step or gesture.
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But Nritya Choodamani awardee Sujata makes it look so easy. Her enthusiasm has the capacity to breathe new life into any choreography and make it her own.
Commencing with a Rama Stuthi, ‘Keki Kaantava Neelam’ (Megh and Kedar, Chatusra Ek taali, choreography by guru Kelucharan), Sujata showcased her nimble-footedness in the Hamsadwani pallavi (Ek taali, music by Pandit Bhubaneshwar Mishra, choreography by guru Kelucharan).
It began as a slow and restful piece in chatusra gati unfurling the poetry of the music and dance at leisure. Rupak Parida’s tuneful voice pierced the silence to introduce the raga’s contours with bols, while the mardala’s distinctive hollow naad and bols by Rohan Dahale brought in the excitement of impending rhythm.
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With dancing eyes, Sujata went through the ensuing rhythmic outbursts in different gatis, always coming back to chatusra and the haunting opening line, ‘Deem ta tana na..’ as a refrain.
One did miss the sitar in the pallavi, but from the Ashtapadi onwards the participation of the violin (Suramani Ramesh Chandra Das) was beyond expectation.
Sujata’s abhinay is delicate, sensitive and tasteful. She re-created the scene when Radha creeps out looking for Krishna in the bower in the Ashtapadi, ‘Sakhi He’ (Pahaadi, jaathi, Pt. Bhubaneshwar Mishra, choreography by guru Kelucharan), with subtlety.
The removing of the anklets and the putting off of the lamp in her quest for secrecy were the little details that created the magic.
Jayadev Das (lights) was spot on when he plunged the stage into dark blue light (moonlight) after the lamp was turned off. Radha’s reminisces of an earlier passionate encounter with Krishna was retold with finesse.
Sujata’s Vatsalya bhava (motherly love) as Yashoda putting little Krishna to sleep and threatening him with consequences, in the Oriya song, ‘Braja Ku Chora’ was as evocative.
The delectable concert ended with Moksha (Bhairavi, Ek taali). This is an artist you cannot tire of.