Bhubaneswar To Witness Classical Moves On Chhatrapati Shivaji At Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Fest Today

Bhubaneswar: This evening, classical dance enthusiasts will be able to experience a unique narrative around Chhatrapati Shivaji, woven into a dynamic Bharatnatyam performance by Guru Vaibhav Arekar’s Sankhya Dance Company from Mumbai, on the second day of 30^th Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award Festival.

But, it isn’t a production that chronicles the history. Rather, as Guru Vaibhav puts it, the thematic production looks at Chhatrapati Shivaji as a character. “We have tried to present how Bharatnatyam can be a very contemporary language, a language of today’s world and how it can tell us stories beyond the myth,” said Guru Vaibhav, adding that it was challenging to portray war-scenes and a historical character through Bharatnatyam. The Guru also stated that he was thrilled for his troupe’s performance in Bhubaneswar as ‘the audience here is extremely sensitive to art.’

The production, which was conceptualized in 2015, will be performed in Odisha for the first time. Being dubbed as a dynamic piece of work, the production has made use of costumes that are different from the traditional extravagant Bharatnatyam attires in terms of colour and light designs.

When it comes to the ‘mudras’ or footwork, a lot has been tweaked for portrayal of the theme. “The ‘Alapdma’ or the fully-bloomed lotus mudra has been used differently. At one point, the footwork has been used translated into a static sequence to portray the horses coming to show ‘akraman’ (attack). We have incorporated the sound of the hooves, which is not a common practice,” said the artiste.

Speaking about the theme, he explained that the theme was based on Shivaji as a Karma Yogi. “The Maharaj has been depicted as a Shrimant Yogi. It means that he was a royal yet a monk or Yogi. It shows how a king can remain away from power,” he said.

What happened on the fest’s first day?

In its 30th year of celebration, the annual Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra (GKCM) Award Festival, organized by Srjan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Nrityabasa, had commenced with a soulful Ghazal recital by eminent singer, Chandan Dass, in Bhubaneswar on Thursday.

The seven-day cultural extravaganza will continue till September 11. This year features a line-up of artistes, including celebrated musicians Kalaimamani OS Arun, Rakesh Chaurasia, Ojas Adhiya, and Ambi and Bindu Subramaniam, and renowned dancer Guru Ashimbandhu Bhattacharjee with his troupe, and Guru Ratikant Mohapatra’s Srjan ensemble.

Who will be felicitated?

The award ceremony on the final day will see stalwart artistes Kumkum Lal, Lakshmikanta Palit, Dhaneswar Swain, and Uttam Mohanty receive the Shalimar’s Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award 2024, while Pompi Paul, Rajnita Mehra, Avijit Das, and Rohita Pradhan will receive the Shalimar’s Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Yuva Prativa Samman 2024.