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Saturday, Feb 23, 2008
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National festival of dance and music begins

Shyamhari Chakra

It is four years older than the Government organised one in Konark

Photo: Shyamhari Chakra

Captivating: Gotipua dancers performing during the National festival of dance and music. --

KONARK: Not very far from the centuries-old spectacular Sun temple of Konark in this sleepy and tiny town stands another Konark in the making - the Konark Natya Mandap - a dream-come-true for Odissi guru Gangadhar Pradhan who hardly needs any introduction for the Oriyas.

Winner of this year’s Padma Shri, Guru Gangadhar has built up the Mandap that replicates the Konark temple as a miniature of the gigantic monument.

And for the past 22 years he has been hosting his annual national festival of dance and music on this open-air Mandap that is even four years older than the government organised Konark festival. As the dusk descends, the dance and music recitals transform this stone-stage into celebration of a celestial show, literally.

The inaugural evening of the ongoing 23rd edition of the unique event started aptly with a tribute to the Black Pagoda through “Konark Kantee”, an Odissi dance recital by the artistes of the host organisations - Orissa Dance Academy and Konark Natya Mandap.

It was followed by a brief solo tabla recital by Kolkata’s Mallar Ghose, son of the legendary Gyana Prakash Ghosh.

Highlight

In the next segment, Mumbai-based Bharat Natyam dancer and scholar Sandhya Purecha presented three of her new choreographic compositions that included “Trimurti Kalkapam” in praise of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswar.

The most memorable performance of the evening was, however, the dance of the local Gotipuas - the adolescent boys who dance dressed as girls. The troupe mesmerised the spectators that comprised mostly visitors from abroad with their striking acrobatic and yogic postures.

India’s former Ambassador to US and president of the Orissa Dance Academy Lalit Mansingh along with a host of dignitaries inaugurated the festival that is being supported in a big way by Airtel. Besides, Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, Kolkata, Ministry of Tourism and Orissa Government have also extended support to the event.

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