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Cc: rasikas.org (international forum of over 7000 classical arts enthusiasts and artistes)
(Photo courtesy: The Hindu Archives)
Dear Guru Ratikant Mohapatra-ji,
I am writing this after just witnessing your two hour plus Odissi presentation "Yathagamanam" as a tribute to the greatest legend in Odissi, Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra-ji, on his tenth death anniversary. I was a part of the large audience at Chowdiah who were left enchanted, inspired and elevated by the performance filled with the fervour, artistic perfection, coordinated elegance of nine highly accomplished dancers and your astounding music, choreography and direction.
From the pure nritta pieces to the Adi Shankara viracita Ardhanareeshwara Stotra, each item showed a level of aesthetics far higher than what I have witnessed before in group classical dance. I will not be exaggerating if I said that you have taken the classical idiom of Odissi to an altogether new level. The epitome of your creative conception was the final piece, the long ballet titled Gitamritam, presenting excerpts from the Bhagavdgita. In fact I was rather anxious how it would unravel since almost all musical and dance productions based on the Gita thus far have become either too abstruse or too cinematic. Striking the right balance and bringing home the message of India's greatest spiritual poem was no small achievement.
The music was mostly of a very high classicism. I really enjoyed the way ragas like Malkauns, Bhimplas, Shivaranjani, Ahir Bhairav, Yaman and Kedar were used elegantly, evocatively, and even poetically. Of course I felt that the Sufi item as the dialogue between God and man had influences of A R Rahman and Bollywood. But that does not take away the credit to the greats like Pandits Raghunath Panigrahi, Bhuvaneshwar Mishra and Behra, who had composed the music for the performance including the Hamsadhwani swarajathi piece created by your father Guru Kelucharan-ji.
The choreography explored new levels of coordination. The way two dancers would combine to show Shiva and Devi, in their Ardhanari Roopa, and the way several dancers would come together to show the army formation, the chariot, the various facets of Vishwa Roopa, was simply mind-boggling. Words cannot describe the impact the dancers made as they came on the stage simulating Krishna, Arjuna and the chariot and the horses. As Sufi devotees, or Rama worshippers, they got into the mood and still maintained perfect movements and the limpid grace of Odissi.
The lighting and explorations of the stage in the group formations were an added elements of excellence.
I wish SRJAN and your entire artistic team all the best in the future and thank you from the depth of my being for giving us an unforgettable experience.
Thank you!
Sachi R. Sachidananda
For rasikas.org: the Programme announcement is copied below:
“Yathagamanam” following Guruji’s footsteps, 26th of April 2014, Bangalore. Ashvasan along with Odissi Dance Centre Bangalore and Academy of Music is presenting an evening of Odissi dance by Srjan, founded by Late Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. Choreography & Mardala: Guru Ratikant Mohapatra.