Bhubaneswar, Sept 10: The city is high on cultural extravaganzas. From Odissi dance recitals to musical nights, an array of events is enthralling culture enthusiasts here.
Odissi dancers reacreated on stage mythological tales from the epics. Cuttack-based danseuse Meera Das showcased an abhinaya - a pure item of the dance form portraying the life of Draupadi from Mahabharat.
At the event held at Rabindra Mandap, Das and her students presented a number of Odissi recitals where historic events such as the transformation of emperor Asoka from a merciless ruler to a proponent of Dharma was depicted beautifully.
Another noted Odissi exponent, Dona Ganguly, and her 13-year-old daughter Sana represented the life of Shakuntala on the 72nd birth anniversary of popular dancer late Sanjukta Panigrahi. Accompanied by intricate footwork and impressive facial expressions, the mother-daughter duo showcased a delightful tale of the mythological beauty.
Das feels dance is one of the most effective ways to educate youngsters about mythology and ancient history. "Dance is an interesting form of expression. Young people have read about them in books, but they tend to forget about it. Illustrative representations like this will always be remembered," she said.
City-based cultural organisation Saaz aur Awaaz presented 'Mukesh Night' at Jayadev Bhavan. Singer Devdas, often called the Mukesh of Odisha, and other singers of the state lent their voices to the timeless songs of Mukesh, one of the greatest singers of the Hindi film music.
The alumni association of the Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya organised a two-day musical evening in the city last week. A number of popular musicians of the state enthralled audience with renditions on tabla, harmonium, mardala and other musical instruments during the festival.
The ongoing Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award Festival attracted a large number of people to Rabindra Mandap. The five-day soiree concluded today with novel Odissi compositions by the artistes of Srjan. Odissi danseuse Sharmila Biswasand tabla player Pandit Kumar Bose, both from Calcutta, Mohiniattam dancer Mandakini Trivedi from Mumbai, Mardala exponent Satchidananda Das from Bhubaneswar and classical fusion band Samarpan from Mumbai performed at the festival.
"It feels great to live in a place that is so culturally vibrant. A tour of the city in the evening and one can find some or the other performances going on," said Manoranjan Mohanty, an engineering student.
