Before the first step, a quiet stillness held at Rangabhoomi Spaces & Events in anticipation, until Kallol 2026 slowly found its rhythm. Presented by Nrityashala School of Odissi, founded by Preeti Mohapatra, the evening unfolded as a lived expression of tradition, moving in waves of discipline and grace. “It’s only Odissi,” says Preeti, with quiet certainty, adding, “No mixing, no contemporary elements. As I have learnt from my gurus, that is what I have given my children.”
The evening opened with Mangalacharan, where young dancers stepped onto the stage with folded hands, offering themselves first to the divine, then to the earth, the guru, and finally the audience. It was an entry not just into performance, but into discipline. What followed wasn’t a leap into complexity, but a return to basics.
Through a carefully structured presentation, the audience was introduced to Chauka and Tribhangi, the grammar of Odissi. Strength and grace. Stillness and curve. The body as both structure and poetry. The evening moved through Sthai and Pallavi, where pure dance took centre stage, drawing inspiration from the sculptural stillness of temple carvings, especially those of Konark. Each movement felt etched rather than performed.
As the evening moved into Abhinaya, the energy shifted. The piece Kahin Gale Murali Phunka brought Krishna alive — not through grandeur, but through longing. The dancers moved with restraint, allowing expression to emerge through glance and gesture rather than excess.
And then came the guest artist. Debashree Patnaik’s Devgandhari Pallavi was expansive, assured, almost meditative in its control. It was the kind of performance that doesn’t just impress, it recalibrates the room.
Odissi, in Hyderabad, is not a dominant form. And Preeti knows this better than most. “I was the first to start Odissi here, about 15 years back. Back then, there were very few dancers. Even now, the numbers are limited. In a South Indian state, people naturally connect more to their own classical forms. It has taken a good shape now. We have more schools, more mentors. But yes, we expect more,” she notes.
For many in the audience, the most anticipated moment wasn’t announced, it was felt. When Preeti Mohapatra took the stage for Kevat Prasang, the shift was immediate. The piece, drawn from the Ramayana, tells the story of Kevat, the boatman who hesitates to ferry Lord Rama, fearing his divine touch might transform his boat, just as it once transformed stone into life.
Behind the seamless transitions and disciplined formations lies a more complex reality — one of coordination, teaching, and quiet persistence. “Classical dance will always remain relevant. It doesn’t just teach you dance, it teaches you how to live. Dedication, devotion, introspection. These shape you as a human being,” she concludes.