|     |
|
| |
 Sanjukta Panigrahi Award of Excellence 2023 - Maya Krishnamurty e-mail: maya.krishnamurty@gmail.com Photos: Ganesh Sahoo June 16, 2023 Day 1: National Solo Odissi Dance Competition In the universe of Odissi dance and the classical Arts, the late Guru Sanjukta Panigrahi is an indomitable force who set ablaze any stage that she took with her genius, perfection, and devotion to the Art. What revered Sanju Nani (as Sanjukta Panigrahi is endearingly addressed) accomplished at her time along with Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, when dancing was frowned upon as a career for women, was no mean feat-it is in fact a thing of legends; a legend who left an indelible mark on Odissi and the classical arts forever, giving Odissi dance a global identity. For this non-pareil and maverick of the art, performance was her life, soul, and very being. In memoriam, there have been numerous initiatives and awards over the years, since her untimely demise in 1997. One such initiative that aims to reinvigorate the role of the young solo dancer is the National Solo Odissi Dance Competition and Sanjukta Panigrahi Award of Excellence, a brainchild of Guru Ratikant Mohapatra, Dean, Faculty of Arts, Communication and Indic Studies (FACIS), Sri Sri University (SSU) and Director, Srjan-Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Nrityabasa. The competition and award were instituted in 2022, and provide a platform for rising solo Odissi dancers to present glimpses of their artistic talent and dedication on a national platform. The first edition of the event was held at the SSU campus on World Dance Day (April 29, 2022), witnessing performances by some brilliant young dancers including Santosh Ram, the Sanjukta Panigrahi Award of Excellence recipient 2022, and Sourav Mohanty and Ananya Parida, the second and third prize winners, respectively.  Backdrop of Sanjukta Panigrahi Award of Excellence This year, FACIS, in collaboration with Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre (GKCM ORC) and Srjan organized the second Sanjukta Panigrahi Award of Excellence function on June 1 and 2, 2023 at Utkal Rangamancha, GKCM ORC, Bhubaneswar. The event commenced with the registration of 47 participants from across India for the solo Odissi dance competition on June 1st, all between 16 and 30 years of age (a criterion for eligibility in the competition). Dancers from Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Jajpur, Rourkela, Berhampur, Anandapur, Kendujhar, and Angul in Odisha; Kolkata, 24 Parganas, Mainaguri, Hooghly, and Burdwan in West Bengal; and Mumbai, Maharashtra competed for the coveted Sanjukta Panigrahi Award of Excellence for the first position and cash prizes for the second and third position. Rahul Acharya, Odissi dancer, scholar, and faculty member of FACIS conducted the proceedings for the day. The competition began with the welcoming of the invited jury members, Madhavi Mudgal, renowned Odissi dance exponent and Guru, and Dr. Mahua Mukherjee, former Dean, Faculty of Fine Arts, Rabindra Bharati University and eminent Gaudiya Nritya exponent. Madhavi Mudgal and Dr. Mahua Mukherjee were then felicitated by Arupa Gayatri Panda, Odissi dancer and Asst. Professor, FACIS, with flower bouquets, as a token of appreciation for their time and effort. The competition was held over three sessions, in the morning, afternoon, and evening on day one. Morning Session The morning session witnessed performance by dancers from Bhubaneswar, Jalpaiguri, Kolkata, and Mumbai. Oishani Bhattacharjee, student of Sutapa Talukdar, Kolkata commenced the performances with the Odia abhinaya Dekhiba para asare, followed by Risa D'Souza, student of Mitali Raul, Mumbai, who performed Saveri Pallavi. Other dancers from Kolkata, Shreyasi Datta (student of Avirup Sengupta), Meghna Das (student of Argha Chatterjee), and Soumyadipa Das (student of Anupama Dey) performed Srita Kamala, Shuddha Dhaivat Vibhas Pallavi, and Mangalacharan-Megh Pallavi, respectively. From Odisha, Sunita Biswal (student of Sankalp, Bhubaneswar), Anushree Dash (student of Nrutyadhara), sisters Arpita and Ankita Parija from Jagatsinghpur, Monika Samantaray (student of Jyoti Rout), and Meghambari Pradhan (student of Muktilata Pal) presented Hamsadhwani Pallavi; the Odia Abhinayas Kala Manika, Mita chahan epara, and Kede chhanda janelo sahi; Hanuman; and Durga, respectively.  Saveri Pallavi by Risa D'Souza  Hanuman by Monika Samantaray All dancers performed with sincerity and showed promise; working on the basic grammar of Odissi, ensuring core techniques, and understanding stage nuances will certainly see them go a long way in their beautiful journey in art. In this first session, the presentations of Chandrima Dey, student of Dr. Pompi Paul, Jalpaiguri and Madhabi Rout, a member of the Srjan ensemble, Bhubaneswar require special mention for their good understanding of technique, energy, and arresting performances. Chandrima, who was tastefully attired in an orange and maroon sari performed Durga, a timeless choreography of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, set to the enchanting music composition of Debashish Sarkar, while Madhabi's crisp movements and fast footwork shone forth as she performed Yugmadwanda Pallavi choreographed by Ratikant Mohapatra to the enthralling music composition of Pandit Raghunath Panigrahi in raga Bageshri and Ektali.  Durga by Chandrima Dey  Yugmadwanda Pallavi by Madhabi Rout Afternoon Session The post-lunch session featured students of Aruna Mohanty, Aditya Mohanty and Abhishree Priyadarshini, who presented Leela Nidhi (La Champu, i.e., a Champu starting with the letter la; it may be noted that a Champu is a very important component of Odia literature, wherein every line of the song/poem rendered starts with the same chosen letter) and Rageshri Pallavi, in that order. Also in this session from Bhubaneswar were Monalisa Das (student of Trilochan Sahoo) who presented the ashtapadi, Chandana charchita; Manas Ranjan Sahoo (student of Bichitrananda Swain) who performed Dev Gandhari Pallavi; Preeti Nandini (student of Gajendra Panda) who performed Manau uddharana; and Samiksha Mishra (student of Sonali Mohapatra) who presented the Odia Abhinaya Kielo sajani. From Cuttack, Sweekruti Das (student of Meera Das, Gunjan Dance Academy) performed Madana Mohana Stotram and Padmini Kumar Pradhan, a student of SSU, presented the Odia Abhinaya Dekha go.  Chandana Charchita by Monalisa Das  Madana Mohana Stotram by Sweekruti Das Tejaswini Sahu from Angul (student of Swapnarani Sinha), V Sai Sanjana from Rourkela (student of Deepmala Lakra), and Somtirtha Pal from Kolkata (student of Sriparna Bose) danced the Odia abhinaya Sate ki bhangi, Jayadeva's ashtapadi Chandana charchita, and Patadip Pallavi, respectively. The afternoon session was brought to life by the commendable performances of Riddhi Bhattacharyya from Barddhaman, a disciple of Guru Ratikant Mohapatra who presented Mahadeva in Ragamalika and Talamalika, in obeisance to Lord Shiva; Satyaprakash Mallik, student of Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, Bhubaneswar and disciple of Namita Ray who danced Ashta Shambhu; and the rendition of Dev Gandhari Pallavi by T Tulika Reddy, a student at Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya training under Lingaraj Pradhan. A choreograph of Guru Bichitrananda Swain, set to the music composition of Ramhari Das and the rhythm composition of Dhaneswar Swain in raga Dev Gandhari and Jati tala, Tulika performed the technical nritta piece deftly and competently.  Ashta Shambhu by Satyaprakash Mallik  Mahadeva by Riddhi Bhattacharyya  Dev Gandhari Pallavi by T Tulika Reddy By the evening, the audience filled up and there was a befitting start to the final session before the jury evaluation. Rati Ranjan Amanta, yet another student of Swapnarani Sinha from Angul (and part of a mini entourage of five from the same gharana and Guru) performed Ashta Shambhu. Strikingly dressed in a white and green costume, Rati Ranjan made his stage presence felt and his energy caught on. Others in the session from Angul were Anoushka Mahakud who presented Shivashtaka, Swarnanki Das who performed Vajrakanti Pallavi, and Sai Rakshita Swain who danced to Shrimati Shripati, all in Guru Deba Prasad Das' characteristic gharana. Daina Ghose, a member of the Srjan ensemble and an undergraduate student of Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya delivered an admirable presentation of Shiva Panchaka with her striking looks and stage presence, while Suchismita Sahoo, from Orissa Dance Academy under the able tutelage of Aruna Mohanty kept the audience well-engaged with her graceful rendition of Dekhiba para asare. Tapan Kumar Sahoo (student of Manoranjan Pradhan and also of the Orissa Dance Academy family) performed an amalgam of the dance pieces Konark Kanti and Shiva Panchaka. Other dancers included Krishna Chandra Raul's student Pratishruti Sahoo and Pushpa Mishra's student Madhusmita Mallick from Cuttack who presented Dashavatara and the Odia abhinaya To lagi gopo danda respectively, while Satavisha Das, a student of Sonali Mohapatra danced to Mohane deli chahan in the penultimate performance of the evening.  Ashta Shambhu by Rati Ranjan Amanta  Shiva Panchaka by Daina Ghose  Dekhiba Para Asare by Suchismita Sahoo  Megh Pallavi by Swayamprava Mishra While this was a competition, and the slots for dancers were all pre-allotted, it so happened that the best performance (from the audience and judges' perspective, as we will come to read later) was saved for last. Enter Swayamprava Mishra, disciple of Guru Kumkum Mohanty and student of SSU who performed a combination of Megh Pallavi (set to raga Megh and Jhampa tala, choreographed by Ratikant Mohapatra to the music composition of Pradip Kumar Das) and Saja kanja nayana, an Odia abhinaya choreographed by Guru Kumkum Mohanty and composed by Nityananda Mahapatra in raga Ahir Bhairav and Khemta tala. Her technical proficiency and engaging expressions left no doubts in the minds of the audience as to whom they believed would win the award. Tastefully attired in a dark green and blue silk sari, Swayamprava's performance set the bar for all the previous participants. The jury deliberated and evaluated the performances of the participants based on their merit, keeping in view their adherence to the allotted time limit of 10 minutes to perform a Pallavi and/or Abhinaya and their loyalty towards the traditional Odissi attire and idiom, while acknowledging the extraordinary talent of individuals and assessing their performance based on their overall presentation, technical proficiency, and level of performance. Recognizing the long and winding road ahead in the artistic journey of the participants, as an Odissi dancer myself, I truly believe the words of my Guru, who has often told me there is no substitute for hard work, humility, and sincerity, all of which speak for themselves. The famous quote, "Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground," comes to mind as I appreciate the true value of being thorough with our foundation, education, and values in art, to grow as an individual and a dancer. While the jury acknowledged that in a competition, there always must be a first, second, and third place, set apart from the others, they also emphasized the fact that in no way did that take away from the talent, hard work, and passion of the other participants who came from across state and country to perform at this prestigious event. The esteemed jury left the dancers and the audience with invaluable suggestions, sharing their experience, and advising dancers to delve deep into their art and understand their underlying dance and technique while adhering to the time limits of shows and competitions to ensure unhindered flow of their dance.  Declaration of winners by Madhavi Mudgal and Dr. Mahua Mukherjee Based on their performances, Madhavi Mudgal and Dr. Mahua Mukherjee unanimously declared Swayamprava Mishra the winner of the Sanjukta Panigrahi Award of Excellence and first position holder, while Madhabi Rout and T Tulika Reddy were the second and third prize winners, respectively. Day 2: Sanjukta Panigrahi Award of Excellence 2023 Presentation The second day was in the format of an Odissi dance function-cum-award ceremony and witnessed solo recitals of the winners, the prize distribution ceremony, presentation of certificates to the participants, and a group Odissi dance presentation by the junior ensemble of Srjan. Commencing on the dot at 7pm, the inaugural speech was delivered by Dr. Pronema Bagchi, Asst. Professor, FACIS. Following this was the rendition of a Saraswati Vandana, Maa Saraswati Sharade, in obeisance to Goddess Saraswati-the supreme force behind all our knowledge and dispeller of ignorance, by Sneha Bose and Payal Mohanty, students of the Bachelor of Performing Arts in Hindustani Vocal at SSU trained by Bandita Ray, faculty member, FACIS. Their presentation set the stage for the evening, as Ratikant Mohapatra, Dean, FACIS shared his gracious welcome address with the audience.  Saraswati Vandana by Sneha Bose and Payal Mohanty The several and varied initiatives of FACIS pertaining to the classical Arts, Guru Ratikant Mohapatra explained, aimed to bridge the gap between academics and performance art. Thus, the ideation and execution of the Sanjukta Panigrahi Award of Excellence was a good avenue for bringing academics, performing arts, and collaborative effort on one stage. Citing respected Sanju Nani as his eternal inspiration, Ratikant Mohapatra believes that this platform, among others, will inspire young dancers now, and in the years to come, to put their best foot forward-not just because of the grand prize money that they receive but also because of the knowledge, education, and experience of being a part of an event that commemorates and celebrates Sanju Nani's ocean of contribution to the performing arts. And one can see that it definitely serves as an avenue to find new talent and groom young dancers as professionals in the art form.  Welcome Address by Guru Ratikant Mohapatra After the ceremonial lighting of the lamp and felicitation of guests, Madhavi Mudgal, Dr. Mahua Mukherjee, Prabodh Rath, Secretary, Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi (OSNA), and Prof. Kalyani Samantray, English professor, the closing ceremony was formally officiated. The coveted Sanjukta Panigrahi Award of Excellence 2023 and a cash prize of Rs. 50,000 were presented to Swayamprava Mishra for securing the first position in the dance competition held on day one. Madhabi Rout and T Tulika Reddy then received cash prizes of Rs. 30,000 and Rs. 20,000 for their commendable performances in second and third place, respectively.  Award and Prize Distribution From L-R (standing): Prabodh Rath, Dr. Mahua Mukherjee, Guru Kumkum Mohanty, Guru Madhavi Mudgal, Prof. Kalyani Samantray, Guru Ratikant Mohapatra From L-R (sitting): T Tulika Reddy (Third Prize winner); Swayamprava Mishra (First Prize winner); Madhabi Rout (Second Prize winner) In an evening of celebration of Odissi, stalwarts from the world of art and the esteemed guests shared their messages and words of support with the audience and participants. Dr. Pronema then shared President, SSU, Prof. Rajita Kulkarni's digital message congratulating FACIS, GKCM ORC, and Srjan for hosting this event that upholds the rich culture and art of our country. The speeches were followed by solo presentations by the winners, whose professional performances were much appreciated and applauded by the audience and guests, alike. The recipient of this year's award, Swayamprava is a student of Guru Kumkum Mohanty and Geeta Govinda institution, Cuttack, and is pursuing her Master of Performing Arts in Odissi Dance at SSU. She commenced her performance with Guru Vandana, invoking the blessings of the Almighty and the Guru. A composition of Guru Ratikant Mohapatra, set to the music of Sempagodu S. Vighnaraja in Ragamalika (composed in ragas Bhairav, Bairagi, Darbari, and Bhairavi) and adi tala, Guru Vandana was a befitting invocatory dance piece that captured the audience attention. In this eternal shloka, Gurur Brahmaa, Gurur Vishnuh, Gurur Devo Maheshwarah, Guruh Saakshaat Parambrahma Tasmai Shree Gurave Namah, the dancer bows in reverence and humility to the Guru, who, as Brahma stirs within the disciple a quest for learning; as Vishnu, sustains this thirst for eternal knowledge; and as Shiva, destroys the darkness of ignorance. Swayamprava went on to perform Saja kanja nayana, her winning performance from the previous day. She moved along fluidly from one emotion to another, as she embraced the role of a sakhi who tells Radha, "Saja kanja nayana, kunje aare!" "Oh, freshly bloomed lotus-eyed beauty! Come to the kunja. Your beloved Krishna is waiting for you at his dwelling, the entire village of Gopa is dancing at the banks of river Yamuna in anticipation, and the Lord's flute calls your name, in love and longing."  Saja Kanja Nayana by Swayamprava Mishra This was followed by Madhabi's presentation of Yugmadwanda Pallavi. A Srjan ensemble member and student of the Master of Performing Arts in Odissi Dance discipline at SSU, Madhabi's rigorous training under the tutelage of Guru Ratikant Mohapatra was evident, as she once again delivered a wonderful performance of the beautifully composed nritta piece in raga Bageshri. The uniqueness of this Pallavi lies in its exploration of the relationship between dance and music, with the percussion instruments and the melodic instruments, while the vocalist and dancer playfully engage in repartee or sawaal-jawaab.  Yugmadwanda Pallavi by Madhabi Rout The winning performances concluded with Tulika's presentation of Mahakali, describing the grandeur, power, and majesty of Goddess Kali. Tulika, a student of Bachelor of Performing Arts at Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, Bhubaneswar, is presently under the training of Lingaraj Pradhan. Mahakali is a dance composition by Guru Bichitrananda Swain to the music of Guru Binod Bihari Panda in raga Bhairavi and Ektali. In this presentation, Tulika illustrated with good energy and conviction the qualities immanent to the great Devi Mahakali, who is both the origin and end of life, who is Shivaa, the consort of Lord Shiva as well as Narayani, the power of Vishnu.  Mahakali by T Tulika Reddy The performance finale was by Srjan Ensemble-II, the up-and-coming junior ensemble of the reputed Srjan Ensemble, led by the artistic direction of Guru Ratikant Mohapatra. They performed Samakala, a neo-classical Odissi dance composition choreographed by Ratikant Mohapatra. Meticulously trained for the performance under the able and rigorous guidance of Rajashri Praharaj, who is known for her technical virtuosity, commanding stage presence, and attention to detail in her performances and teaching, the young dancers of Srjan-Prachi Mohanty, Sruti Jyoshna Das, Nishita Panda, Abhisikta Senapati, Dipranwita Dalei, Angelina Pal, Amrita Suhani, and Priti Prangya Paikaray-executed beautifully crafted movements and rhythmic patterns with great confidence and energy to the captivating music composition of violinist Agnimitra Behera and flautist Srinibas Satapathy, aided by the brilliant light designing of Debiprasad Mishra. Their performance was a testament to the bright and promising future of the next generation of dancers at Srjan.  Samakala by Srjan Ensemble After the guests handed out certificates to all the participants, Arupa Gayatri Panda delivered the vote of thanks with a special and heartfelt mention to Daksha Mashruwala and Sanjay Mashruwala, who sponsored the coveted Sanjukta Panigrahi Award of Excellence. The two-day event was executed to perfection by FACIS with able compering by Rahul Acharya and Dr. Pronema Bagchi; extensive administration by Academic Coordinator Saubhagyalaxmi Sahoo; design support by Asst. Professors Shreeram Routray and Trinath Majumdar; coordination by faculty, staff, and students of FACIS; and technical execution by Debiprasad Mishra, all of whom worked in tandem towards the event's success. With his high standards of professionalism and perfectly executed organizing abilities, Guru Ratikant Mohapatra has always been an inspiration with his tireless energy and warmth to his disciples and the art fraternity, alike. There is never a time when he does not acknowledge the power of a team, the integral nature of working together, of forming bonds and relationships beyond dance, of coming together towards a singular cause - "the meeting of minds" in the service of Guruji's legacy, of Odissi, and of a life in art and aesthetics.  Maya Krishnamurty is a trained Odissi dancer, and freelance verbal trainer and language editor based in Bangalore. Maya holds a post-graduate diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication from Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai and has been learning Odissi for over a decade. |
