Urban Temple presented the Manchpravesh Odissi performance by young teenaged
dancers, Anushka Sarkar and Oishi Bhattacharya at the Mysore Association Auditorium on 4th May. It
was a memorable occasion for the dancers and the audience too as the talented dancers were
revealing their devotion towards the divine art form of Odissi with their sincere performance.
Anushka and Oishi started learning Odissi from a tender age and are the disciples of Dr Sangeetha
Rajan who heads the Urban Temple academy, she is an accomplished Odissi danseuse and has
performed along with her mentor, veteran exponent Guru Debi Basu on several prestigious
occasions. Dr Sangeetha Rajan is a professional psychologist too.
It was sheer pleasure to watch both Anushka and Oishi dancing together with fine synchronisation
and maintaining fine harmony with music and dance. They commenced with the traditional
invocatory number known as Manglacharan in praise of Lord Jagannath. The Bilahari Pallavi was
performed by Oishi Bhatacharya exposing the characteristic ’chauka’ and the ‘tribangis’ while
maintaining fine synthesis of music, melody and rhythm with gradual increase of the speed of the
performance with display of intricate movements danced to perfect rhythm.
Abhinaya number in Odiya “Malli Mala Shyamku Debi”in which the dancer reveals her devotion for
the Lord as Radha and offers the garland of Malli flowers and surrenders completely to the lotus feet
of Lord Jagannath This was a composition by Kavi Samrat Upendra Bhanja and was performed by
Anushka Sarkar. In the Ashtapadi ‘Rase Hari”Radha is disturbed as she sees the dalliance of Krishna
with the gopis and is envious but ultimately it is the divine magical flute that draws her closer to the
Lord.
The highlight of the evening was the presentation Rabindranath Tagore’s Ode to the cosmic dancer,
Lord Nataraja “Nritero Tale Tale” in which the poet describes the glory and power of Mahadeva as
Sundara, Shankara and Bhayankara but declares that it is devotion of the Lord which is of primary
devotion that draws the Bhakta closer to the Lord. The dancers concluded their performance with
Moksha that forms the fine relationship of the Jeevatama (Human soul) with the Parmatma (Divine
soul). With more involvement and concern over the finer aspects of dancing, both Anushka and Oishi
can aspire to become fine exponents of Odissi dance.
The dancers were ably supported with the musical team led by Dr Sangeeta Rajan, vocal by Jateen
Sahu, Mardal by G Ramprasad, Violin by Anup Kulthe and Flute by Parshuram Das. The distinguished
guests of the evening were Padmashri Darshana Jhaveri, Guru Debi Basu and Guru Daksha
Mashruwala.
