Utsav Educational and Cultural Society and Ranjana’s Odissi Dance Academy organized “Unbound Beats of India” an International festival of Indian classical dance for young established artists, 15th edition in the series since its inception in 2008. It was scheduled on the evening of Friday, 1st April, 2022 at India Habitat Centre (IHC), New Delhi. Five artists in the various classical dance styles regaled the audience with their brilliance in dance that evening.
The curtain on the festival Unbound Beats of India lifted with announcements about Utsav, Founder-President Utsav, Padmashree and Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee Smt Ranjana Gauhar and the objective behind organising this festival for young and talented artists. The festival was inaugurated with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp by esteemed guests Smt. Shovana Narayan (Padmashree & SNA Awardee)-Kathak Exponent, Shri Shashadhar Acharya (Padmashree & SNA Awardee) – Chhau Exponent, Shri Rajeev Kumar- DDG ICCR and Shri Avinash Pasricha- Veteran Photographer and SNA Fellow, they were all facilitated by Guru Ranjana Gauhar.
The felicitation was followed by conferring of the “Utsav Samman” on Smt. Shovana Narayan for her contribution to Indian art & culture. A plaque and angavastram was presented to them by Founder-President of Utsav, Padmashri Smt Ranjana Gauhar.
Dance critic Smt Manajri Sinha, Shri Ravinder Mishra, media journalists from Dainik Jagran, Doordarshan etc., and several other members from the art fraternity and a diverse audience were present.
Sanya Chadha , disciple of Smt Ranjana Gauhar set the pace of the festival with an invocation in Odissi – Manikya Veena, a salutation to Maa Saraswati. Set to raag: mohana and taal ek-tali/triputa, music composition by Guru Bankim Sethi and choreography by legendary Guru Mayadhar Raut based on the lyrics of Mahakavi Kalidas created an ambience highlighting the Goddess of Wisdom and Arts as she sits on a Lotus and her four hands she holds the scriptures in one; she also carries the melodious veena, the flower arrow and spear. This was followed by a Pallavi which is considered the most lyrical presentation in Odissi. This is a pure dance item where there is no particular theme, lyrics or verses are applied. Pallavis are known by the ragas on which the music is set or based. This Pallavi is based on Raag Bhairav with choreography by Guru Ranjana Gauhar and music composition by Shri Saroj Mohanty.
The cultural evening gathered momentum with a scintillating Saraikela Chhau performance by Shubham Acharya and Gunjan Joshi , disciples of Guru Shashadhar Acharya. Their presentation Nabik is a story of a boatman and his wife navigating waters create a unique allegorical interpretation of the metaphoric journey of life. Music is a local tune and taal is 7 Matras, with choreography by Guru Shashasdhar Acharya.
Kathak was the next in the creative treat of the evening by Kartika Singh, disciple of Guru Smt Shovana Naryan. Kartika began her performance recital with an ode to Lord Shiva and move to the Teyyari Ang in taal Pancham Sawari. She concluded the segment with the poignant tale of Draupadi’s humiliation and how Lord Krishna comes to her rescue. ‘Draupadi Cheer Haran’ a choreography of Guru Shovana Narayan and set to music by Late Pandit Jwala Prasad.
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The talented Bharatnatyam dancer Pavitra Krishna Bhat, disciple of Guru Deepak Mazumdar, was the next artist of the evening. He began his performance with Shiva Mallari – Temple rituals being Ashta dikpaalaka Pooja, Pallaki utsavam and many sevas including Nritya sevas fall to place to tune oneself. This Mallari was interwoven with verses in praise of Lord Shiva as the Lord of Dance and the one with Cosmic Energy, based on raag: Gambheeranatai and Taal: Khanda Tripura, the choreography was done by the dancer himself. He concluded his presentation with Nandanaar Charitram. A famous padam composed Kavi Gopalakrishna Bharati about the most spoken examples of God mercy on his ardent devotee. A story where just by pure bhakti and plea to Nandi the bull to have a small glimpse of his Lord Nataraja. Based on raag: Todi, taal: Rupakam with choreography: Guru Shri Deepak Mazumdar.
The festival came to a resounding end with a group performance by Alaknanada Sanskriti the disciples of Guru Alakananda Dasgupta. The first item was based on Lord Shiva called Angikam. In this the dancers portrayed Shiva as the one whose bodily movement is the entire Universe, whose speech is the language of the Universe, whose ornaments are the moon and the stars and who is seen as the pure and eternal source of energy. This composition is choreographed by Guru Munna Lal Shukla. It was followed by a Tarana which is vocal rendition which has no particular theme but the dancer gracefully decorates the Swaras with movements. The Tarana was based in taal Teental and raga Darbari. The tarana was composed and choreographed by Guru Alaknanda.
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Even as the audience gave a standing ovation, the artists were felicitated by all the Gurus with this years ‘Utsav Yuva Samman 2022.’ Smt Ranjana Gauhar thanked the Guru’s and the participants, assuring the audience to bring such artistic endeavours to them in the future. She expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Culture, Government of India and India Habitat Centre for their valuable support to present Unbound Beats of India 2022 in its 15th edition.
