Bhubaneswar, August 31: Srjan—Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Nrityabasa, with the institutional support of Sri Sri University, is set to host its flagship annual classical dance and music festival, the 30th Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra (GKCM) Award Festival 2024. Scheduled from September 5–11 at Rabindra Mandap, the festival will commence at 7 pm daily, marking a significant milestone in Odisha’s cultural calendar. The festival’s mission remains steadfast: to create and sustain awareness of India’s classical traditions in dance and music. Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award Festival

An Extended Celebration of Classical Art Forms

This year, the festival departs from its traditional five-day format, extending to seven days of carefully curated performances. Each evening promises to captivate audiences with the highest calibre of classical dance and music. The festival will culminate on the final day with the prestigious award presentation ceremony, followed by a grand finale by the Srjan ensemble, led by Guru Ratikant Mohapatra.

The Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award 2024, carrying a cash prize of ₹1,00,000/- and a citation, will be presented to four iconic figures who have made significant contributions to Odisha’s rich cultural heritage. Smt. Kumkum Lal will be honoured for her immense contributions to Odissi dance, while Guru Lakshmikanta Palit and Guru Dhaneswar Swain will receive accolades for their lifetime achievements in the fields of Music and Percussion, respectively. Shri Uttam Mohanty will be recognized for his outstanding contributions to Odia Cinema.

In addition, the Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Yuva Prativa Samman will be awarded to four exceptionally talented artists under the age of 40, in recognition of their outstanding performances in classical dance and Odissi music. Pompi Paul and Rajnita Mehra will be honoured for their achievements in Odissi dance, Avijit Das for Kuchipudi, and Rohita Pradhan for her dedication to Odissi music (Mardala). Kelucharan Mohapatra Award Festival

A Week of Unforgettable Performances

The inaugural evening will feature a soulful Ghazal recital by the renowned singer Chandan Dass. On the second day, acclaimed Bharatanatyam exponent Vaibhav Arekar and his Sankhya Dance Company will present “Shrimant Yogi,” a homage chronicling the life and times of the legendary Shivaji Maharaj. The third evening will bring a Carnatic Vocal recital by the celebrated singer Kalaimamani OS Arun.

At the festival’s midpoint, SubraMania, led by the famous musicians Ambi and Bindu Subramaniam, will deliver a captivating evening of musical fusion, blending creative elements into their repertoire. The following evening will showcase the illustrious Hindustani Flautist Rakesh Chaurasia, accompanied by famed Tabla artiste Ojas Adhiya. On the penultimate evening, classical dance will take centre stage again with “Moonstruck,” presented by the reputed Kathak exponent Ashimbandhu Bhattacharjee and his dance troupe, Upasana Centre for Dance.

The final evening will commence with the prestigious award ceremony, followed by the much-anticipated finale by the Srjan ensemble. Under the artistic direction of Ratikant Mohapatra, the ensemble will present “Tantra,” a powerful performance invoking the divine feminine and exploring the esoteric tradition of Tantra. This evocative presentation promises to be a visual and aesthetic delight, with unique embellishments in music, choreography, and costumes.

Institutional Support and Sponsorships

Srjan has partnered with Sri Sri University, Cuttack, a leading educational institution in India, to foster the interconnectedness of academia and performing arts in the classical realm. The entire festival is curated and conceptualized by Ratikant Mohapatra, with program execution by Debiprasad Mishra.

The 30th GKCM Award Festival has garnered significant support from various sponsors, including MGM Minerals and Shalimar Chemical Works Pvt Ltd. The festival is also supported by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and the Department of Odia Literature Language and Culture, Government of Odisha. Additional sponsors include SBI, IMFA, Priyadarshini Handlooms, and Paradeep Phosphates Limited, with The Royale Midtown Hotel serving as the hospitality partner. Dharitri and Orissa Post, along with Narthaki.com, are the media and web partners, respectively.

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Thespian Anant Mahapatra received the Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award 2023. GKCM Yuva Pratibha Samman presented to Arupa Gayatri Panda, Siddhi Waikar, Vishal Krishna & Arup Das.

After four evenings of captivating dance and music performances, the 29^th edition of the Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra (GKCM) Award Festival ended. The program was organised by Srjan in collaboration with Sri Sri University Cuttack.

Shri Anant Mahapatra received the GKCM Award 2023 for his lifetime achievements and immense contribution to the field of Theatre. The coveted award carries a respectable allocation of Rs. 1,00,000/- each and a citation.

GKCM Yuva Prativa Samman focuses on reviving the all-important role of the solo artiste in the classical idiom. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 25,000/- and a citation. This year four exceptionally talented performing artists in the field of classical dance and Odissi music received the GKCM Yuva Pratibha Samman. Arupa Gayatri Panda and Siddhi Waikar received the same for Odissi dance, while Vishal Krishna received the Yuva Samman for Kathak and Arup Das for Odissi music . Prof. (Mrs.) Rajita Kulkarni presented all the awards to the awardees from Odisha and outside.

After a thoughtful and supportive speech by Prof. (Mrs.) Rajita Kulkarni, the cultural programme of the evening, featuring a presentation by each of the GKCM Yuva Pratibha Samman awardees began. First, was the Odissi Mardala recital by Shri Arup Das, who explored the intricacies of the Odissi Tala system with a laudable rendition. This was followed by an Odissi dance performance by Smt. Siddhi Waikar presented Navagraha, the embodiment of infinite cosmic energy that turns the wheel of life, the wheel of Karma or action.

This wonderful beginning to the dances for the evening was followed by the powerful Kathak presentation of Shri Vishal Krishna, who performed the Shiva Kavitt Paran written by his great-grandfather Acharya Pt. Sukhdev Maharaj followed by some technical compositions in Banaras Gharana in taal Teen taal, 16 beats. The final performance of the evening was by Smt. Arupa Gayatri Das, presented the ashtapadi,  a composition from 12th-century saint and poet Shri Jayadeva’s love song, the Geeta Govinda.

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Bhubaneswar, (Odisha Connect): An Evening that came with Kathak on Wednesday enthralled the audience in Ravindra Mandap for three hours in the Guru Kelucharan Memorial Programme. 

Renowned Kathak exponent of the Lucknow Gharana, Shila Mehta,   performed powerful Shiva Stuti. She was accompanied on the live orchestra by  Sunando Mukherjee on the Sarod, Vivek Mishra and  Amitangshu Kumar Brahma on the Tabla, and  Jaydeep Sinha on Vocals.

Completing the Shivastuti, she moved on to an eclectic Bhava Tihai in Teen Taal, portraying Gopucha—the gaits of different animals. She presented the rhythmic flow and ebb of the waves of the ocean through the movement oeuvre of Kathak, bringing life to the bhava of the episode of Sita Haran from the Ramayana. In the style of the legendary maestro Pt. Birju Maharaj.

Shila Mehta’s third and final presentation was Geetasara, the epic dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna and the episode of the Vishwarupa Darshana. The synchronous musical accompaniment, dramatic lighting, and appealing stage effects added to the climax of this composition.

The second recital for the evening was by feted Hindustani Vocalist and torchbearer of the Kirana Gharana. The musical program added great depth to the auspicious occasion of Krishna Janmashtami. Jayateerth Mevundi’s absolute Bhakti enraptured the audience.

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