Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award 2015 in Bhubaneswar from Sep 5
Bhubaneswar, Aug 31: The pioneering presence, the moving spirit behind the resuscitation of classical Odissi dance, Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra left us 11 years ago; his legacy however lives on. Guruji’s blessings and eternal good wishes have propelled SRJAN from strength to strength; and Guruji’s pet obsession, the Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award, which was instituted 21 years ago, continues today to fulfill my father’s fondest wish in the service, encouragement and dedicated support to the life and work of Guruji’s fellow artistes.
Starting with a single-day festival in 1995, the Award Festival now grown to a 5-day celebration of scintillating performances featuring 7 artistes and a dance recital by Srjan’s own repertoire group. The aim here is to give our Odisha audience an exposure to classical fare of the highest level; we do aspire to sensitise captive audiences, especially the younger section and students, so that an enthusiasm for the subtle flavours of classicism is planted in them. In planning the festival we try to provide a mix of famous performers and some relatively new names who are all artistes of quality. The idea is to showcase artistes whom our Odisha audience has not yet tasted, both established and budding artistes. Apart from the obvious novelty of a star performer, the added benefit is to a new generation of dance and music students who get a direct exposure to artistes that they have only heard about. Plus, we take care in designing each evening’s performance with an eye on the most suitable combination of artistes and genre.
For the last 20 years the Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award has been presented, on an annual basis, to 4 persons in the field of Dance, Music, Theatre & Cinema. Since last four years two awards (Rs 50,000/- each) are presented to exceptional individuals. The award for 2015 will be given to 2 artistes. Guru Giridhari Nayak (in the field of Dance), Dr. Shantanu Mohapatra (in the field of Music. The write up on the awardees are enclosed.
Eminent artistes will be performing in the festival (list of the artistes enclosed). There will be 3 special presentations by Srjan artistes. 1) “Vitthala Smarane” describing Lord Vishnu. This will be in Marathi language, written by Sant Namdev, a famous poet of Maharashtra. Dannce. 2) “Tarana” has chosen to embark on new pathways of innovation, creating an amalgam of the classical and the contemporary. 3) The opus of the evening’s dance programme is titled “Namami Gange”. After showing the mythological background of the great river emanating from lord shiva’s dreadlocks and inundating the vast Indo-Gangetic spaces of north India, we lead
the audience through the last century’s violence, desecration and pollution of the grandest river of India. We end the dance with a fervent appeal to join forces in cleaning and nurturing Mother Ganga.
The dance choreography for all 3 presentations has been done by Guru Ratikant Mohapatra. The composition for “Vitthala Smarane” by Pt. O.S. Arun, “Tarana” for by Dr. Vyzarsu balasubramanium and for “Namami Gange” Sri Laxmikant Palit. The Sanskrit lyrics for Namami Gange” is written by Sri Nityananda Mishra.
The 21st annual Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award will be held at Rabindra Mandap, Bhubaneswar from 5th to 9th September 2015 at 6.30 p.m. Dharitri will be our ‘Media Sponsor’.
On behalf of Srjan, Guruma Smt. Laxmipriya Mohapatra and the members of the Trust board, I extend a very warm welcome to you the gentlemen of the press & media. Your presence on 5th to9th September 2015 will surely bring out the best from the eminent artistes who will be in performance on those five days.