Kapilas Bhuyan
Bhubaneswar is soon going to witness a riveting dance and music festival during Guru Deba Prasad Das Award function to be held from 28th – 30th October. Guru Deba Prasad had been legendary for his innovations within the body of the Odissi dance repertoire which has enriched the classical dance form that we have been witnessing today. Again Guru Deba Prasad is considered one of the three major exponents of the classical Odissi dance Gurus.
While Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra had taken Odissi dance far and wide with an overdose of ‘Lasya’ emphasizing the femininity of the dance form, Guru Deba Prasad had doused it with a bit of ‘Tandav’ to arrive at a balance of both femininity and masculinity. Thus, Odissi dance has been continuing with two streams, however, with time lapse both schools have lost their identity in the new millennium.
Guru Deba Prasad, during his lifetime, had been giving equal importance to classical Odissi, folk and tribal dances of Odisha as they have supplemented each other being generated from the same physical and cultural space. Guru Dr. Gajendra Ku. Panda as the prime disciple of Guru Deba Prasad who strongly believes in this concept of his revered guru, formed his dance ensemble under the nomenclature ‘Tridhara’, or confluence of ‘Three Streams’. He also has been organizing an annual dance and music festival alongside an award function over last 15 years in the loving memory of his Guru Deba Prasad. The 16th annual celebration is going to be held from 28th to 30th October, 2022 during which the legendary dance diva Dr. Sonal Mansingh, Padma Bibhusan awardee will be honored for her lifetime contribution to the dance field.
While eminent Kathak danseus Prerana Shrimali and Kuchipudi diva Deepika Reddy are going to be conferred with Guru Deba Prasad Award, young and promising Malaysian Odissi danseus Tan Mei Mei and Sakhinata and Ghudukinata folk dancer Guru Radhashyam Tarai are to be conferred with the guru Deba Prasad Prativa awards. Aishwaryaa Lakshmi Errisson from Malaysia and Suhana Mishra from Puri are going to be awarded with Guru Deba Prasad Shishu Prativa awards as budding dancers in Odissi.
Apart from the awards, during the inaugural ceremony the viewers will get to see performances of Odissi dance Mahalaxmi and Vande Mataram by the artists of ‘Tridhara’, and the classical Veena recital by the globally famous legendary Maestro Bishwa Mohan Bhatt, Padma Bhusan, Grammy, Padma Shri awardee on his Mohan Veena.
The other showcased dancers in the festival are Ayako Sakina and Manju (Odissi Duet), Hananomiya Yumiko Chatani (Solo Odissi), Deepika Reddy (Solo Kuchipudi) and Prerana Shrimali (Solo Kathak), etc. One should look forward to catching up the Kathak recital of Prerana as she is a senior danseuse of Jaypur Gharana, and prominent disciple of Guru Kundanlal. Besides, the most important group Odissi performance ‘Amazing Grace’ will be presented by the Malaysian dancers of Sutra Foundation which is showcased as the closing recital of the festival.
(The writer is a Senior Journalist and National Award Winning Filmmaker)
Tags: #GuruDebaPrasadDasAward #Odissidancers #Classicaldance #VandeMataram #OdissiDuet #RabindraMandap #Bhubaneswar #Dancefestival