Dancers Dona Ganguly will perform at the Samsmaranam in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, April 6: A three-day grand spectacle of Odissi dance — Samsmaranam — will be staged at Rabindra Mandap from Monday to pay tributes to Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra on his 10th death anniversary.

It is being organised by a city-based cultural group Srjan in collaboration with Art Vision, another city-based dance troupe.

Most of the performers are disciples of the late Odissi exponent. On the inaugural day, renowned danseuse Kumkum Mohanty will stage invocatory Mangalacharan recital. Aloka Kanungo and Rina Jana from Calcutta and Madhavi Mudgal and Panchanan Bhuyan from New Delhi will perform in the subsequent acts.

The same evening will witness performances by Sikata Das from Chennai and Sharon Lowen from the US.

The programme will conclude with a group recital by the Gunjan Dance Academy, Cuttack. Meera Das will choreograph it.

The last two days of the festival will be daylong events with performances taking place both in the mornings and evenings.

On Tuesday morning, three Bhubaneswar-based artistes will showcase their talents in solo recitals. In the evening, the stage will have artistes from Balasore to Bangalore.

On the concluding day, apart from dance recitals, participants will share their experiences with the Guruji.

His friends, disciples, and colleagues are expected to take part in the meeting. A film on Kelucharan Mohapatra’s life and work titled Legend Speaks will be screened.

Eminent dancers Minati Mishra from Switzerland, Sujata Mohapatra from Bhubaneswar and Dona Ganguly from Calcutta will pay homage to the legendary figure whose contribution to the classical dance has no parallels. The group dance by the host team will draw the curtains on the festival.

“His passion for dance and music inspired all of us to begin a journey in creativity. We are blessed because even in his absence, his memory continues to guide us, give us new energy and make us stronger in the service of his lifelong passion — Odissi dance,” said Ratikant Mohapatra, son of the veteran dancer.