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Bhubaneswar, Feb. 22: The musical notes of the sitar and flute wafted in the air, impressing listeners on the second and third evening of the 28th Konark Dance and Music Festival.
Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan performed on Wednesday, while flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia left the listeners asking for more on Thursday. Dance performances were also presented on both days at the five-day festival.
Vibrations of the conch shell and traditional gongs opened the evening on both days, following which the artistes of the host institute, Konark Natya Mandap, founded by the legendary Guru Ganagadhar Pradhan, paid tributes to the five elements of nature.
The Pancha deva stutee was a wonderful short piece of Odissi choreography to invoke the blessings of God.
A group Odissi presentation on Wednesday on Dushmanta and Shakuntala took the audience back into the pages of history. Adapted by Naba Kishore Mishra into a dance drama, the abhinaya was a poignant tale of the two lovers, enacted beautifully by artistes of Konark Natya Mandap.Next, sitar exponent Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan presented a prolific repertoire, starting from a soothing alaap and pacing up with charming musical waves during the jor and jhala phases. Vijay Ghate, another musical exponent, accompanied Khan on the tabla.
Tunes of the flute took the audience to a trance and created a peaceful ambience at the festival when flute legend Chaurasia performed on the stage. He was also conferred the Guru Gangadhar Pradhan Lifetime Achievement award on Thursday.
“Guruji was my close friend and artistes of Odisha were fortunate to have a visionary like him. He was immensely dedicated to the state’s culture and set high benchmarks for us. I’m honoured to receive an award given in his memory,” said the flautist.
