“I shall not die as long as my disciples would be dancing,” Odissi Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra had once remarked regarding death. This profound statement is fondly remembered a decade after his death as a series of dance concerts are staged every year across the world marking his death anniversary in April.
Pravaha (continuity), the annual Odissi dance festival being mounted in Bengaluru by his disciple Sharmila Mukherjee through her Sanjali Centre of Odissi since her Guru’s passing away, has been the only event of its kind in the entire South India. The festival, staged recently at the packed Seva Sadan auditorium, aptly featured a symposium on GuruShishya parampara apart from performances by acclaimed Odissi dancers Aruna Mohanty and Madhusmita Mohanty – besides artistes from Kolkata and Sanjali’s dancers based in Bengaluru.
The highlight of the symposium was the talk by Kelucharan Mohapatra’s son Ratikant Mohapatra who “shared a symbiotic relationship for 40 years” with his father and guru. Describing the relationship as “enjoyable and memorable”, he explained how his father and guru had unlimited patience in dealing with his students and never let any disciple feel burdened with his teaching or attitude despite being a perfectionist and strict disciplinarian. “The concept of ‘I’ was never there in his bond with his disciples. He believed in working together. He was even open in learning from his disciples,” Ratikant remembered.
Taking the cue from him, celebrated Indian classical dance historian Sunil Kothari pointed out how Guru Kelucharan was like “a father and a friend” who had “the magic of transmitting the techniques and aesthetics of dance” to him and as well as to his disciples. The ageold gurushishya parampara also exists beyond India, he pointed out.
Sharing her experiences with her late Guru Gangadhar Pradhan, eminent Odissi dancer Aruna Mohanty emphasized on how being a guru is to carry forward “a legacy and a responsibility”. “My guru looked beyond my dance. He also cared for my life. A true guru is a friend who understands a disciple’s realities”, she stated.
Moderator Usha RK and Bengalurubased dance personality Lalitha Srinivas also made interesting presentations on the gurushishya parampara during the deliberations.
After the symposium, host Sanjali’s six aesthetically attired dancers entered the stage with a warm welcome note for the connoisseurs of the pallabi evening. The pallabi (pure dance number) set to raag Yaman, choreographed by Sharmila Mukherjee won instant audience appreciation.
The lyrical progression of the musical pallabi ornamented with wavy movements and forming beautiful geometrical patterns was executed by the dancers with sheer joy of dancing.
The troupe also staged Ganga , another choreographic work that paid tribute to the sacred river. Set to a popular Sanskrit composition of Adi Sankaracharya, Kolkatabased Debasis Sarkar has scored music for the piece. The impressive Ganga aarati scene, with which the production ends, would be imprinted in the memory of the audience for long.
Well known dancer and choreographer Aruna Mohanty, the special invitee for this year’s Pravaha, was the principal attraction of the festival. And she lived up to her reputation with her captivating concert. She staged two of her recent choreographies that have won
hearts – ‘Bhumisuta’ and ‘Ki Nadara’. While ‘Bhumisuta’ (daughter of the earth) is the tale of the trials and tribulations of Sita as a woman in The Ramayana, ‘Ki Nadare’ (the wonders of the sound) delineated the equally enchanting appeal of Krishna’s magical flute for mother Yasoda, lover Radha and devotee Meera. While the hallmark of ‘Bhumisuta’ was the brevity with which the choreographer could narrate the sequences of Sita’s life from birth till her pathetic end, ‘Ki Nadare stood out for the profound poetry and brilliant percussion by scriptwriter Kedar Mishra and mardal player Bijay Barik respectively besides Aruna Mohanty’s intense interpretation of the philosophical and emotional aspects of sound and love as the dancer and the choreographer.
Between both of Aruna’s powerpacked presentations that apparently made the heads and hearts of the audience heavy over the thought of the four strong women and their lives in turmoil, young and acclaimed soloist Madhusmita Mohanty’s dance of delight in Rageshree pallabi literally becalmed the heavy heads and hearts. Sculpture came alive in Madhusmita, disciple of Aruna Mohanty and winner of the prestigious Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Prativa Puraskar of the national academy for performing arts, as she was seen as poetry in motion.
Two young dancers from Kolkata Arpita Venkatesh and Argha Chatterjee – disappointed with their duets – ‘Pattadip pallabi’ and ‘Durga’. They lacked harmony that is pivotal for a duet presentation. Both adept as soloists, it would have been wiser for them to perform independently.
