It was a memorable evening for Odissi dance enthusiasts witness to performances by young and budding talents from across the nation at Debasmruti 2014 held in the city recently. A befitting tribute to legendary dance maestro Guru Deba Prasad Das, the event was organised by Tridhara Foundation, brainchild of Debaprasad which was formed with the objective of showcasing Odissi dance in a global platform. Carrying ahead the legacy, Gajendra Panda, a pioneer in the Debaprasad style of dance, has been organising the festival since some years now.
This year’s event began with a group performance on Durga Tandav by dancers from Kala Bikash Kendra, Chatrapur which was followed by another group performance based on Shiva Tandav by Nataraj Kala Mandira. These group performances gave way to a solo abhinaya recital by Punya Prabha Rath. It was an enthralling piece reflecting the emotions of a lovelorn Radha.
The group performance based on Mahakali Dhyanam was entertaining with powerful expressions and movements though costumes and music quality were not up to the mark. Later in the evening, Astasambhu by Sonal and Pratyusa stole the show with delicate moves and beautiful expressions. Similarly Dasavatara, a duet presentation was simple yet engrossing while Gulmini’s recital was engaging. Though she lost her composure for a while during the performance, she bounced back with vigour.
The last performance of the evening was based on the famous bhajan ‘’Uthilu Ede Begi’’, expressing the love of mother Yashoda chiding with Krishna. A group effort, it was a pleasure to watch the eloquent expressions of the dancers.
All the performers were felicitated at the end of the programme which was naugurated by Minister, Tourism, Ashok Chandra Panda.