It was the third evening of the GKCM Award Festival organised by Srjan at the Rabindra Mandap here on Sunday which showcased Odishi dance by noted artist Daksha Mashruwala and violin play by renowned performer Deepak Pandit.
The first presentation was by Daksha Mashruwala and artists of her organisation KAISIKI. Her opening item was an invocation to Goddesses Saraswati, Durga and lakshmi set to Rag-Ragmalika and Tal-Talmalika, musically composed by Monaj Desai and choreographed by Mashruwala herself.
Her second display was an Abhinaya based on Gita Govinda’s Astapadi Yahi Madhaba set to Rag-Vairabi and Tal-Jati, music composed by Pandit Bhubaneswar Mishra and dance choreographed by Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra. Mashruwala’s concluding item was the Odishi dance drama Sagi Bagi, the English story of a self-finding of a little elephant written in 1948. The dance was choreographed by Guru Ratikanta Mohapatra and music was composed by Agni Mitra Behera.
The second and ultimate round of the evening witnessed the violin play by Deepak Pandit, an Indian classical and fusion musician. He is truly a rare instrumentalist with a unique repertoire ranging from traditional classical compositions on his instrument. Be it at his highly acclaimed Indian classical music recitals, this maverick musician leaves every music lover, orthodox or progressive, spellbound with the flashes of unparalleled brilliance of his uncanny ability to strike an instant rapport with the audiences transcending all age barriers.
The eminent personalities who graced the occasion were renowned flute player Pandit Mohini Mohan Pattnaik, noted Kathak dancer Uma Dagara and Srjan director Guru Ratikanta Mohapatra.