BARIPADA: Eminent Chhau dancer Trilochan Mohanta (51) of Bada Jambuani village in Morada block of Mayurbhanj district will be conferred the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for the year 2020.Trilochan hails from a remote part of the district and has been pioneering Chhau dance since the age of eight despite financial hardships of his family. He received Chhau training from Guru Lal Mohan Patra. In tune with ‘guru-shishya’ parampara, Trilochan stayed with Patra and performed with the Uttar Sahi Chhau dance troupe. He also received training at the Mayurbhanj Chhau Pratisthan from 1982 to 1986.
Currently serving as a guru at Project Chhauni, Trilochan has been instrumental in documenting the basic procedures of the dance form like six tobka, 36 ufli and 216 upaufli. The procedures help a budding artiste master the dance form perfectly.
Expressing pleasure, Mohanta said, he had left home from childhood to pursue Chhau dance. “After years of rigorous sadhana, I could achieve expertise and then became a Guru. I attribute my success to my Guru, his blessings and my parents,” he said. My loyalty towards the dance form will continue by the grace of Goddess Kichekeswari and I will continue to impart training to students in Chhau as long as I can, Mohanta added.
Executive director of Project Chhauni Subhasree Mukherjee said Trilochan has performed in countries like Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka and the Carribean islands. Apart from collaborating with the likes of Ileana Citaristi, Santosh Nair and Sharmila Biswas, he has been involved in workshops conducted at National Chhau Kendra at Bokaro in Jharkhand.
Besides being a flawless performer, Trilochan has also trained artistes like Carolina Prada, Alexandra Vyadonapava, Ankit Paharia and others. “Project Chhauni is honoured to have Trilochan as a guru who has been training dancers of Mayurbhanj Chhau Performing Unit. We are thankful to Sangeet Natak Akademi for selecting him for the prestigious award,” said Mukherjee.