The fifth and concluding evening of the 21st Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra Award Festival on Wednesday began with the customary award giving ceremony by Minister of Industries, School & Mass Education Debi Prasad Mishra and Minister of Tourism & Culture Ashok Chandra Panda.
The award was instituted in 1995 with a view to generating a feeling of cultural amity among the performing arts
fraternity and acknowledging the excellence and contributions of great artists of dance, music, theatre and cinema. Guru Ratikanta Mohapatra, the torchbearer of his father Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra’s
legacy, is committed to reach out the nook and corner of the globe with Odishi’s pristine glory and purity.
Srjan (Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra Odissi Nrutyabasa) founded in 1993 by Guru Kelu Charan has pioneered the cause of recognising the talents and achievements of individual artists in different art forms.
This year, the award was conferred on veteran musician Dr Shantanu Mohapatra and Odishi dancer Guru Giridhari Nayak. .
The artists of Srjan presented Namami Gange from the Bhagabata Purana. Ganga arrogantly fell on Shiva's head, but Shiva calmly trapped her in his hair and let her out in small streams. The touch of Shiva further sanctified Ganga. As Ganga travelled to the netherworlds, she created a different stream to remain on Earth to help purify unfortunate souls there. She is the only river to follow from all the three worlds, Swarga (heaven), Prithvi (earth) and Patala (netherworld or hell). It is thus called "Tripathaga" (one who travels the three worlds).
The choreography of this impeccable presentation was by Guru Ratikanta Mohapatra; the music was composed by lakshmikant Palit; the script written by Nityananda Misra, music arrangement by Tarakanta Panda and narration by Aditya Mahapatra.