Abhijit Das and Sangeeta Gosain perform at the Baisakhi cultural festival in Bhubaneswar. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, April 20: The fourth and fifth day of the Baisakhi cultural festival bore witness to dance and music compositions that showcased various facets of Indian traditions.

The evening began with the customary Pahandi performed by Puri’s Sahijata Sanskrutika Sansada. The devotees observed Suna Besha, where the idol of Lord Jagannath was adorned with gold ornaments.

The cultural programme began after the invocation.

A duet by Odissi dancers Rashmi Raj and Biswaranjan Mohapatra made for a grand opening to the event. On Sankha gadhadhara based on raga Ragamalika, the dancers presented a recital eulogising Lord Vishnu. The duo mesmerised the audience with their abhinaya and jugalbandi.

The evening moved forward with Sangeeta Gosain’s classical renditions. She began with Shyama ghanaku kahago dutike jai based on raga Bajrakanti. Her second act was Mohana Madhuri, based on raga Sankarabharana.

“It is always a pleasure to hear Sangeeta. Her poignant voice touches the soul and you instantly get a feeling of devotion for the Lord,” said Pradip Rath, a listener.

The second performance was a Kuchipudi recital presented by Bangalore-based Abhijit Das. He performed Koluvaitiva Rangasayi that spoke about many faces of Lord Vishnu. The dancer’s firm movements, controlled steps and a swift transition of expressions were remarkable.

The high point of the programme was Gotipua performance by dancers from Raghurajpur. In their first act, Veera rasa, the dancers gave a vivid illustration of Devi Durga’s gallant win over Mahisashura. However, their second act stole the limelight. With their sheer energy and splendid acrobatic skills, the dancers performed various stunts and poses that left the audience awestruck.

The fifth day had in its store a Kathak performance by Calcutta-based Luna Poddar. Guru Dhaneswar Swain and his troupe performed on taala vaadya that created an air of magic with the troupe’s skills in instrumentals.

“It was difficult to believe at first that all the dancers were male. They were so graceful and expressive. It is good to see that there are people, who still take pride in the state’s ancient cultural heritage and uphold it. The performance was exceptionally good,” said Rupak Mishra, who was present in the audience.