The Guru Pankaj Udra Sanskruti Academy organised the Adi Guru Pankaj Charan Das Award and National Festival of Dance and Music-2014 at the Rabindra Mandap here on October 20 and 21.
Odissi dancer Guru Aruna Mohanty and Odissi vocal music exponent Dr Sangeeta Mohanty inaugurated the evening.
Guru Pankaj Charan Das has developed a distinctive style in Mahari dance. He has also brought this ritualistic service as a dance form, from the temple to the stage.
On the inaugural evening, Guru Meenakshi Behera opened the stage with the dance piece Nabadurga. Her dance piece was followed by Guru Braja Kishore Mallik’s performance on the song Jagannath Kichhi Magunahin Tate. Kakali Paramguru, Smita Panigrahi and Shilpa Mohanty also performed.
On the second evening, eminent Odissi Mardal exponent Guru Banamali Moharana was conferred with lifetime Achievement Award 2014 and eminent Gotipua and Odissi dancer Guru Gobinda Chandra Pal received Adi Guru Pankaj Charan Das award 2014 on the occasion.