Bhubaneswar, Jan. 16: An Odissi rendition of the cult Odia bhajan, Aahe Neela Saila, by Bangalore's Sharmila Mukherjee and her disciples was a highlight of the Mukteshwar Dance Festival, which concluded today.
Based on the arabhi raga, the dancers showcased intrinsic features of Odissi, including movements of eyes, neck and torso, with the concurrent ascent and descent of the tempo.
The 16th century temple reverberated with classical beats during the annual extravaganza that featured solo, duet and group Odissi performances. The state tourism department hosted the three-day festival, which saw an array of impressive performances. Bhubaneswar's Pankaj Pradhan performed the epic Mahabharat - another highlight of the fest. He displayed his grasp over the dance form with his swift movements and intricate footwork.
Renowned Odissi exponent Sujata Mohapatra performed scenes from the Ramayan, living up to her reputation. Despite being a solo performer, she covered the entire stage with brilliance, something she is known for. "The audience was completely silent during her performance, which speaks volumes of her ability to hold the crowd to rapture. The rounds of applause at the end of the performance filled the air," said Prachi Mohapatra, who was among the audience during the performance.
Other performances included a solo recital by Saswati Gorai Ghosh from Calcutta and a duet by Subhalakshmi Padhi and Arati Kar from Bhubaneswar.
The audience included many foreigners apart from local residents.
However, as one festival ended, another is set to begin with the annual Rajarani Music Festival at Rajarani Temple. The three-day festival will see evening concerts by maestros on instruments as they attempt to captivate the audience with soulful music.
On the inaugural day, Calcutta's Rashid Khan will perform Hindustani vocal, while Delhi's Vishwa Mohan Bhatt will be on the mohan veena. Odissi vocal by Rupak Kumar Parida from Bhubaneswar and Hindustani vocal by Suresh Wadekar from Mumbai will follow those performances.
