Simply spectacular
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The four-day Mukteshwar Dance Festival in Orissa featured Odissi in a multitude of hues.
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The four-day Festival saw Odissi performed against the breathtaking backdrop of the 10th Century Mukteshwar temple
VIBRANT Sujata Mahapatra performing at the Mukteshwar Dance Festival. Photo: Avinash Pasricha
Ekamra Utsav, a 15-day, holistic extravaganza mounted by the Department of Tourism, Government of Orissa, in the capital city and temple town of Bhubaneswar began with a handicrafts and handloom exhibition and ended with a rose show. Originally called Ekambra Kshetra (Mango Orchards) the Bhubaneswar region is where Shiva is believed to have retired for penance, with a searching Parvati reuniting with him. Woven into this festive fortnight, the four-day Mukteshwar Dance Festival saw Odissi performed against the breathtaking backdrop of the 10th Century Mukteshwar temple with its unique, exquisitely carved gateway and cluster of votary shrines. Flanking one side is the Siddheswar temple. To recapture the old magic of what was first staged in 1984 at the same site would need adjustments in stage measurement and levels with less of the distracting floral decorations and light contraptions interfering with an uncluttered view of Siddheswar. Accommodating D.D. Bharati's live telecast (making the proceedings accessible to millions) made light balancing, by playing up and making less prominent certain architectural silhouettes, a challenging task.
Eclipsing all other fare with the sheer awe-inspiring geometry of group arrangements with simple but throbbing singing by Samarendra Kundu was the grand finale, Panchadeva Stuti by Nrutyayana, the choreography by Durgacharan Ranbir visualising the iconography and myth of Ganesha, Narayana, Devi, Shiva and Surya through magnificently intricate dance formations. In a sterling all-round performance, Rahul Acharya's fleeting depiction of Shiva's wrath against Kamadeva was searingly powerful. The erotic and the devotional were intertwined in Ananga Utsav, based on the first Canto of the Gita Govinda. Choreographed by Gangadhar Pradhan, and presented by a proficient male/female troupe from the Orissa Dance Academy, the music, effective in simplicity, preserved poetic meter. Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya's `Om Namah Shivaya' conceived by Sneha Samantray had too many dancers jostling for space.
Bichitrananda Swain's Rudraksha, performing to Ramahari Das' Hamsa-Kalyani pallavi, under a fancy `Raga/Anga/Rasa' title, was more impressive than the abhinaya presentation, which moving from formation to formation tableau fashion, had little interpretative dance. The Kala Vikash Kendra projection suffered, with dancers inexperienced in stage spacing, and indifferent music - an area the institution needs to invest in. Ardhanariswar by Tridhara presented by Guru Gajendra Panda with a female partner, was a lost opportunity with both dancers performing a solo dancer's movements, instead of converting this into a true lasya/tandava counterpoint in the "Chaampeya Gauraang" hymn. Sound balancing made Lakshmikant Palit's singing now loud and now soft. Students presenting Bageshree pallavi required more finish.
Ileana Citaristi's Art Vision duet by her and a male dancer really impressed in the Chhau-inspired Tantra to Kundalini mangalacharan hymn from Saundaryalahari and the Ganga/Jamuna with a poetic interpretation of Kalidasa's verses from Raghuvamsha. Group rendition of Dasa Mahavidya and Keervani pallavi had amateur dancers.
Vibrant expression
Sujata Mahapatra's solo Odissi presentation of Ardhanariswar and "Kede Chanda" was hard to beat in vibrant expression and bhangi/rhythm perfection, with Ratikant Mohapatra's mardal providing an added delicate touch. Sangeeta Dash representing the Debaprasad bani, shone in the stillness and quiet lustre of her Sooryashtakam. Though invested with the same internalised strength, "Pashyati Dishi Dishi" required more reflection of the poetic situation, which pictures not Radha, but Radha as described by the sakhi Jayadeva portrays, and abhinaya should pinpoint this. Confidently rendering the same ashtapadi, Sharon Lowen's solo, more abhinaya dominant, barring snatches of Arabhi pallavi woven into portraying Parvati after a night with Shiva, needed more rhythm-oriented mobility. For an audience whose first row was a good 10 feet from the stage, her dance was too static. Rajashree Chintak's solo Dasha Mahavidya, while rhythm-correct, lacked suppleness of bhangi and expression. Geeta Mahalik's group revelling in abhinaya moments, was mismatched in the too-young Krishna vis-a-vis the gopis and Radha.
The daily invocation by the Prafulla Kar Bijaya Jena troupe, picking up after a tame first day's start could have done without the insistent instrumentation jarring the meditative mood. And the efficient Oriya/English comperes should have settled for objective information without praise and hyperbole about dancers.
LEELA VENKATARAMAN
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