Odissi dancer Sujata Mohapatra performs during the silver jubilee celebration of Nupur festival at Jayadev Bhavan in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, June 9: The magic of clarinet player Pandit Narasimhalu Vadavati and the brilliance of Odissi dancer Sujata Mohapatra’s performance captivated the audience on the concluding day of cultural institute Nupur’s silver jubilee function on Wednesday evening.

The two-day festival held at Jayadev Bhavan was a memorable event for the remarkable renditions by the eminent artistes.

Carrying the legacy of her father-in-law, the legendary Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, dancer Sujata Mohapatra looked every bit similar to the sculptures of dancing figurines at the Konark temple. She presented two acclaimed renditions — an abhinaya Barsha and a Hansadhwani Pallavi. While Barsha is choreography of Guru Ratikant Mohapatra, the intricate composition of the pallavi was a genius by his father Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra.

Sujata gracefully depicted the multiple facets of rain in the abhinaya Barsha, an inspiration from Kalidas’ Ritu Samhara. The elegant dancer portrayed with ease the greetings of rain by dancing peacocks, the bliss of trees as well as the terrors of flood and cyclones during monsoon.

“Since it’s time for the advent of monsoon, the piece was performed with the perfect context. The dancer was simply enchanting,” said Sampurna Panigrahi, a viewer.

The Hansadhwani Pallavi, that is often considered an immortal piece of choreography, was a mesmerising recital. Performing with poise, Sujata left the audience in awe with her acrobatic postures and nimble feet. The music for the pallavi is a composition of Pandit Bhubaneswar Mishra while that of Barsha is a creation of Pandit Raghunath Panigrahi.

Well-known Bharatnatyam dancer Anita Mallick also regaled the crowd. Her disciples began the rendition with a Ganesh Vandana while the danseuse herself presented a solo sequence eulogising Lord Vishnu. Her performance was effortless while the amazing synchronisation in her disciples who performed a tilana, was praiseworthy.

Saving the best for the last, the organisers of the festival kept the audience waiting for eminent clarinet player Pandit Narasimhalu Vadavati’s recital. Although quite late in the evening, a good number of music aficionados waited eagerly for the performance and they were rewarded with a stupendous performance of the internationally renowned musician. Known for playing the western instrument in the Hindustani style of music, the clarinet exponent who hails from Karnataka was accompanied by his son on clarinet and well-known tabla player from the city, Kulamani Sahoo on stage.

“I’m elated to be performing in the land of Lord Jagannath and I dedicate the rendition to him,” said the clarinet player, who is also the chairman of the Karnataka Sangeet Nrutya Akademi.

Starting off with a gripping rendition of raga Maru Bihar the 69-year old maestro was vibrant during the performance and engrossed in thrilling jugalbandis with Sahoo. He also played the raga Nata Bihag.

“It was a special experience to be witnessing such a marvellous rendition by the internationally renowned musician. Even tabla player Sahoo was at his best,” said a viewer Asit Kumar Mohanty.

“We had worked very hard behind the silver jubilee celebrations and are glad the audience encouraged us with their amazing response,” said Chandrakanta Sutar, secretary of the Nupur group.