Remembering the guru
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DANCE Students of late Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, in association with Srjan, organised a `shradhanjali' titled `Samsmaranam'.
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Sudarsan Patnaik pays a laudable `shradhanjali'.
It has been a year without the redoubtable legend of Odissi dance Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. So on April 7, his first death anniversary, the guru's students from all over the country and overseas collaborated with Srjan, the institution run by his son Ratikanta Mohapatra, to organise `Samsmaranam', in sacred remembrance of the legendary guru. It was a virtual assembly of who's who of Odissi, exponents from Dr. Minati Mishra, Kumkum Mohanty, Madhavi Mudgal, Devi Basu, Jhelum Paranjape, Daksha Mashruwalla, Anandi Ramchandran, Kumkum Lal, Sharmila Biswas to Yogini Gandhi and the guru's daughter-in-law Sujata Mohapatra.
But since the programme was conceived as a `shradhanjali', a homage to Kelucharan Mohapatra, these accomplished dancers were not in the regular costumes but in their practice saris when they presented their dance in the evening. The programme began with a tribute to the guru as a group "mangalacharan". But though it was a moving moment, Kumkum Mohanty's choreography was a washout. Then began individual performances by eight of them. But most of them looked rusted and the pick of the lot was, expectedly, young and talented Sujata whose "Hamsadwani pallavi" drew tremendous applause.
The only other dancers who came up with fairly good recitals were Madhavi in "khamaj pallavi" and Jhelum doing "Geetagovinda" `abhinaya'. Otherwise, it was a bit of a drag, for, the out of form dancers were each allotted 15 minutes and after each none-too-elevating performance came critic Leela Venkatraman with her comments on Guru Kelucharan. The morning session saw the inauguration of a photo exhibition and release of a DVD on Guru Kelucharan.
The screening of a short film on him was followed by dance recitals by students of Srjan ending in spectacular "Navadurga," led by Sujata Mohapatra.
Sand artiste's homage
Sujata Mohapatra (center) and students of late Kelucharan Mohapatra at the `Samsmaranam'.
Renowned sand artiste of Orissa, Sudarsan Patnaik paid a laudable `shradhanjali' on the occasion.
Sudarsan and his students of Golden Sand Art took three hours to complete the sculpture of the late guru, titled `The ultimate performer'.
The sculpture at Puri beach has received tremendous response from the tourists and artistes. Patnaik has represented India in 24 international sand sculpture championships and festivals.
Last year, he won the public prize at a contest in Berlin and Germany. His sculpture based on the reported torture of Iraqi prisoners in the Abu Gharib prison and another on the conservation of Olive Ridley turtles had received wide acclaim.
B.M.
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