Odissi dancer Madhulita Mahapatra recently organized a two-day Naman Utsav in Bengaluru. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Odissi, one of the classical dance forms, is characterized by beautiful postures, emotional facial expressions, bright costumes and make-up. Pallavi, Ashtapadi, and Oriya poems, and Chaukha and Tribhanga postures form the basic movements through which Odissi dancers express emotions, portray different characters, and tell stories. The myriad facets of this dance form were explored through a series of performances at this year’s edition of ‘Naman’ festival, organized by Madhulita Mahopatra under the banner of her dance school Nrityantar Academy of Performing Arts in Bengaluru.
The two-day long festival featured performances by some of the most eminent Odissi dancers from across the world, and also gave a platform to young dancers who have been training under Madhulita.
On the second day of the festival, the students of Nrityantar Ensemble recreated the Ramayana in their production ‘Siya Ram – The Eternal Saga’. The scene, showing Sita sitting in the Ashoka forest and reminiscing about her life, moves quickly to highlight several important moments of the epic.
With inputs from centurion Ganesh Bhatt Koppalotto and Oriya poet Kidar Mishra, the events unfolded seamlessly. It kept the audience’s interest through a lively musical score and excellent choreographic patterns.
Madhulita’s Siya Ram
Siya Ram: The Eternal Saga presented by Madhulita Mahapatra and her students of Narayanthar Academy of Performing Arts at Naman Utsav 2024 in Bengaluru. , Photo courtesy: Shrivatsa Shandilya.
The dancers’ commitment was evident as they moved quickly through the various sequences. , Madhulita’s gentle and sensitive portrayal of Sita, combined with the portrayal of other characters – the calm and dignified Ram by Reshmi Divakaran; The Strength and Power of Ravana by Sahana Raghavendran; And the flying deer Maarich by Mandana Sasikumar – as well as the roles of Hanuman, Surpanakha and Jatayu were compelling performances.
The dancers were Nandana Sasikumar, Aditi Das, Prishna Sinha, Anupama Kumar, Angelina Avani, Sunana Das and Soni Tarasia.
Rupak Kumar Parida’s Ragamalika-Talamalika musical score and Dnyaneshwar Swain’s rhythm composition captured the essence of each sequence well. The costumes and lighting design further enhanced the impact.
Ramli Ibrahim’s ‘Invitation to an Odyssey’
The next performance of the evening, ‘An Invitation to Odissi’, was by Ramli Ibrahim and his Sutra Dance Theatre. He presented Mangalacharana (Ganga Taranga), Sthira, Ashtapadi Lalita Lavanga and Suryashtak from the repertoire of Ramli Ibrahim’s guru Debprasad Das. Guru Debprasad was known for his distinctive style that emphasized the powerful and dynamic stance of the Odissi style.
Ramli, as Sutradar, danced in a dignified manner, making his way in and out during key moments describing the flow of events. The depiction of the descent of Ganga, and the emergence of Vikkeshwaran as Shiva from behind, were powerful depictions.
Ramli Ibrahim and the students of Sutra Dance Theater chose four compositions from Guru Debendra Das’s repertoire for their thematic performance at the Naman Utsav in Bengaluru. , Photo Courtesy: Srivatsa Shandilya
In another composition, the temple sculptures seemed to come alive with beautiful moments alternating between the sculptor and the sculpture, enhancing the inherent beauty of this dance form. Dancers Tan Mei Mei, Geethiya Sri and Wickeswaran effectively conveyed the theme through mime and movement.
Devjani Sen’s ‘Rasmanjari Pallavi’
Devjani Sen and students Akshata Tirumale, Anavi Malik and Sohini Guha performing Rasmanjari Pallavi at Naman Utsav in Bengaluru. , Photo courtesy: Shrivatsa Shandilya.
The evening concluded with a performance by Devjani Sen and students of her dance school, Odissi Dance Centre. Akshata Tirumale, Anaavi Mallik and Sohini Guha presented ‘Rasmanjari Pallavi’ which brought out the beauty of Tribhangi and Chauka dance movements in an aesthetic manner. After this there was a dance presentation based on ‘Hanuman Chalisa’. Set to Ragamalika-Talamalika and choreographed by Devjani Sen, the exploration was inspiring, but it was not suitable for dance.
From capturing the essence of Ramayana, reenacting Guru Debaprasad Das’s choreography and weaving a rich tapestry to depict Hanuman Chalisa, the two-day festival ‘Naman’ brought out the beauty and grace of Odissi dance. For lovers in Bengaluru.
published – October 07, 2024 05:33 PM IST
