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Ekamra festival gets under way

BHUBANESWAR: The sixth edition of the annual Ekamra national festival of dance and music kicked off at the Ekamra Haat open-air auditorium here on Tuesday.

Pondicherry-based acclaimed Odissi dancer and actress Sangeeta Dash was conferred the ‘Surabhi Samman’ on the occasion for her achievements in the field of Indian classical dance and music.

The ‘Samman’ has been instituted by city-based Odissi dance institute ‘Surabhi’ to honour acclaimed artistes of the nation in the field of performing arts.

Eminent scholar D.N. Patnaik, Odissi guru Gangadhar Pradhan, well-known flutist Mohini Mohan Patnaik and Chief Executive of the Odissi Research Centre and noted music composer Ramahari Das inaugurated the festival and presented the honour to the dancer.

Addressing on the occasion, Mr. Patnaik, who was instrumental in uniting the Odissi dance gurus in the 50’s and getting classical status for it, urged upon the dance gurus and dancers to maintain the authenticity of traditional Odissi.

“Don’t be swayed by the dangerous trends of globalisation and commercialisation of Odissi dance.

It’s tradition and purity must be zealously guarded by its practitioners. None has the right to tamper with a tradition,” he says.

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