Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt perform with Pandit Kumar Bose at Kelucharan Mohapatra Award Festival in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 10: Melodious notes from Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt’s mohan veena captured the hearts of music lovers at the ongoing music and dance concert of Srjan.

Rabindra Mandap resounded with mellow strains from the mohan veena on Friday evening, as the Grammy-winning Bhatt held the audience’s attention captive, with help from tabla exponent Pandit Kumar Bose.

But it was reputed Bharatnatyam danseuse Priyadarshini Govind whose pulsating performance was the opening note of the third evening at Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award festival.

The dancer started off with a Ganesh bandana to invoke the deity. Govind’s graceful moves in the episodes in which she enacted “nayikas” easily won the approval of the crowd.

“In the first episode, I am enacting a nayika who is worshipping Lord Shiva with utmost devotion. But the one who appears in front of her is Lord Krishna and she is then torn between the two deities,” said Govind before the rendition.

She then portrayed yet another interesting character. Her second nayika was bedecked with jewels and other accessories to meet her beloved. But when he comes and wants to enter the house, she refuses to allow him inside, as he had not kept a promise. Govind also presented a tilana and concluded her recital with Vande Maataram.

The audience were then treated to a jugalbandi between Pandit Bhatt’s mohan veena and the tabla by Pandit Bose.

From an item of Shringar rasa based on the romance between Radha and Krishna on a fast paced taal with interludes of tihais and chakradhars (rhythmic cycles) to Bhatt’s Grammy-winning composition — A meeting by the river — the incredible chemistry between the two musicians led the audience to cheer as they applauded.

Bhatt even surprised his fans by singing the folk song of his city Jaipur — Kesaria balam aaoni padharo.

The variations on the mohan veena from a subtle pace to a vibrant strumming that involved the sounds of the Hawaiian guitar, sitar and sarod resonated in the auditorium as well as in the heart of the viewers who were left spellbound by Bhatt’s magical performance.

Interestingly, Bhatt too concluded with Vande Maataram. He also went on to play the National anthem as his final rendition for the evening. The audience gave a standing ovation to the artistes.

“We are lucky to have witnessed such a brilliant concert by leading exponents of dance and music,” said Sweta, who had come to attend the concert.