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 10th edition of Nrityakalpa - Dr. Jintu Sarma e-mail: drjintusarma@gmail.com Photos courtesy: Saptaswa April 23, 2023 Saptaswa-the rays of performing art (a leading socio-cultural organization of Assam) hosted its 10th edition of Nrityakalpa dance festival on 31st March and 1st April 2023 at the historic Tezpur city of Assam. This time the event was supported by the District Administration of Sonitpur and staged at Bhupen Hazarika Kalabhumi open stage. The first day's program was inaugurated by Sonitpur Deputy Commissioner Deba Kumar Mishra. State film award winner veteran artist Dr. Jahanara Begum, best newcomer Jitumani Kalita, the playwright of 'Lachit Buranji Likha Torowal' and journalist Pulak Kumar Deka were felicitated by Saptaswa. Before starting the program floral tribute was offered to Late Sachindra Nath Sarma and Late Sabita Sarma who tried to uphold the tradition of Saptaswa by their extraordinary efforts, along with Late Hemanta Kumar Baruah and Late Jitendra Kumar Baishya who supported Saptaswa enthusiastically.  Kanjalochana The cultural program started with an impressive performance by the disciples of Dr. Pratibha Sharma of Saptaswa - Tanzim Sultana, Bhargabi Pokowal, Hongshoja Sarma, and disciple of Maya Rani Bora of Nrityasala- Saranya Mahanta, who performed traditional Nadubhongi Naach beautifully. Then senior artistes from Saptaswa and Nrityasala, Dr. Pratibha Sharma along with Mayarani Bora, Prerana Baishya and Irani Mahanta performed for a Borgeet Kanjalochana. This abhinaya based item is choreographed by Dr. Pratibha Sharma with music composed by Bhaskar Jyoti Oja. The excellent lighting and costumes delighted the audience.  Mridusmita Dutta Mridusmita Dutta is a prominent dancer of Odissi and Sattriya. She had dance training under her gurus, the late Garima Hazarika and Geetika Dutta. She received a Junior Scholarship in Odissi dance from the Center of Cultural Resources and Training, New Delhi and a scholarship in Sattriya dance from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. She holds a Master's degree in both English and Performing Arts with honors and is currently working as a cultural officer at Tezpur University. She performed Panchadevi that refers to the worship of the five goddesses of Hindu religion - Durga, Parvati, Lakshmi, Saraswati and Kali. This dance choreographed by Garima Hazarika with music by Bibhuranjan Chowdhury is based on a Sanskrit verse.  Sangeetam ensemble After that, a classical instrumental recital was performed by Sangeetam, a premier cultural organization of Tezpur. They performed Rajakhani Thaat on raag Nanda, taal tritaal followed by a dhun based on raag Emon. The artistes were Pritam Nath, Papori Das, Monisha Goswami, Leena Das, Mondira Goswami and Monalisha Devi on sitar, Mayukh Dev Choudhury, Subarna Bhuyan, Aruna Bora, Aruna Choudhury, Supriya Choudhury on violin and Likhan Sarma and Ranjit Sarma on tabla. This performance was very special as live performance of Hindustani classical music is quite rare in Assam.  Bhortaal Nritya Prerana Baishya who is a Kathak teacher of Jyotikala Kendra Sangeet Mahavidhyalaya and Bidisha Saha who also learned nipun courses of Kathak under Dr. Pratibha Sharma presented a graceful Kathak recital. A composition of Pt Birju Maharaj beginning with a Shiv Vandana was followed by traditional aamad, paran and ended with a melodious sargam. The evening ended with a beautiful performance of Bhortaal Nritya by students of Saptaswa - Hiyasmita Deka, Moitrayee Das, Harshita Deka, Juman Hazarika, Pratiksha Parashar, Bhabika Baruah, Bristirupa Deka, Bageshree Saikia, Rittika Parashar, Hongshoja Sharma, Bhargabi Pokowal and Tanishtha Bharali. The second day's program was inaugurated by Ramesh Chandra Kalita, President Tezpur Sahitya Sabha and Likhan Sarma, Principal, Jyoti Kala Kendra Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, Tezpur. Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee Ranjumoni Saikia was specially felicitated by the organizers including current MLA of Tezpur, Prithviraj Rabha.  Khol Vadan The program started with a khol vadan by an upcoming khol player, CCRT Senior Scholarship holder and a research scholar of Economics at Guwahati University, Arunabh Jyoti Malkar. He was accompanied by Ripunjeet Borah on violin and Kankan Jyoti Saikia on cymbals. Then Arghaya Cheterjii from Kolkata presented Odissi dance. He started with a Mangalacharan, where the dancer offers flowers to lord Jagannatha, followed by an ashtapadi from Geeta Govindam by poet Jayadeva. It was in raag Mishra Khamaj, taal Jyoti, choreographed by Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra with music composed by Pt Bhubaneswar Mishra and accompanied on mardala by Ratikant Mohapatra. This was Arghaya's first performance at Assam and it was impressive. Then Dr. Manisha Devi Goswami from Guwahati performed an ashtapadi in Bharatanatyam.  Arghaya Cheterjii  Manisha Devi Goswami After that, junior learners of Saptaswa presented a Krishna Naach followed by a new composition of Sattriya named 'Bhismak Nandini.' Based on Sankaradeva's Rukmini Haran and Gunamala, composed by Bhaskar Jyoti Oja with choreography of Dr. Pratibha Sharma, it enthralled the audience, specially in the scene when Sri Krishna takes Rukmini away in the horse carriage. Artistes were Prerana Baishya, Mayarani Bora, Irani Mahanta, Mayurakhee Das, Priya Talukdar, Hiyasmita Deka, Moitrayee Das, Harshita Deka, Tanzim Sultana and Abhispita Kashyap.  Bhismak Nandini  Debaldev Jana Bharatanatyam dancer Dr. Debaldev Jana, a graded artist of Doordarshan and empaneled artiste of ICCR, New Delhi, performed Shivastakam, a composition of Adi Shankaracharya, in ragam Mohanam, talam khandachapu. Here the devotee addresses the beholder of life, lord Shiva. Then he performed a Thodaya mangalam in ragamalika and talamalika. In this item, the dancer praises lord Rama, enumerates his super qualities and praises lord Venkateshwara of Tirupati. Finally he presented a Matri Vandana, where the dancer addresses the rivers as our mother Ganges, Padma, Meghna, Yamuna through the emotion of "Unity in Diversity" with the beautiful composition of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika. It was so heart-warming that the audience enjoyed with pin-drop silence in the open air of spring, near river Brahmaputra.  Dr. Jintu Sarma is Assistant Professor & Head, Dept. of Botany, Guwahati College. |
