— Photo: Lingaraj Panda

ROUSING PERFORMANCE: Bauribandhu Sethi and artists of `Kalashram' giving a sitar recital at the Guru Dakshina Utsav in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.

BHUBANESWAR: It was a festival with a difference that demonstrated the victory of the human spirit over disability.

The city folks, who gathered at the Ekamta Haat open air auditorium for this two-day unique event on Saturday and Sunday, were moved by the indomitable spirit of dancer Nityananda Das who launched this `Guru Dakshina' annual cultural festival to showcase the creativity of the artists with physical and mental disability and to express his gratitude for the gurus who have helped him to overcome his tragedy.

"When I lost my leg in a tragic road accident several years ago, I thought my dreams of becoming a dancer were over for ever. But it was my dance guru Bimbadhar Das who not only provided me all the care that I required but did his best to bring me back to dance through encouragement and guidance. The festival is dedicated to all such disabled disciples like me and our gurus. It is a celebration of human spirit in adversity," expressed Nityananda with intense emotion.

Showcase

The two-day event showcased several physically challenged artistes who have made a mark in their respective fields. It included solo Odissi dancer Biswamitra Mishra of Bhubaneswar who performed `Dasavarata' (ten incarations of the God) with elan. It was followed by a spectacular duet Odissi dance by Talcher-based deaf and dumb girl Sakti Swarupa Bir (on whose life eminent filmmaker A.K.Bir has made a film with her in the lead role) and mentally challenged male dancer Mithilesh Patnaik, recipient of several awards.

The other show that moved the audience into tears was the dance drama `Guru Dakshina' based on host Nityananda's tragic real life story.

Audience spellbound

While he enacted the character of the ill-fated dancer, his guru Bimbadhar was in the character of the guru in the drama as well.

The other presentation of the festival that left the audience spellbound was a group sitar recital led by visually impaired eminent sitarist Bauri Bandhu Sethi of Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya. Several visually impaired sitar players whom the guru has been grooming for years accompanied him.

While eminent artist Asim Basu and Sangeet natak Akademi president Gangadhar Pradhan inaugurated the event, Nityananda felicitated his three gurus including his former schoolteacher during the festival.

The festival will be an annual feature in the cultural calendar of Bhubaneswar where more and more disabled artistes will be presented, announced the host.

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