THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, SEPTEMBER 8, 2026

The fourth day of the 32nd Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra (GKCM) Award Festival unfolded as an evocative confluence of classical dance and music, with Bharatanatyam exponent Dr. Janaki Rangarajan and flautists Abhiram Nanda and Srinibas Satapathy offering contrasting yet complementary expressions of India’s rich performing arts tradition here on Tuesday.

Organised by Srjan — Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Nrityabasa in collaboration with Sri Sri University (SSU), Cuttack, the festival presented an evening that moved seamlessly from the intricate grammar and emotional vocabulary of Bharatanatyam to the expansive melodic landscape of a flute jugalbandi.

The proceedings began with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp by eminent Odissi guru Dr. Snehaprava Samantray, celebrated Mardala exponent Guru Sachidananda Das, East Coast Railway General Manager Parameswar Funkwal, along with festival director Guru Ratikant Mohapatra, who is also Dean, Faculty of Arts, Communication and Indic Studies, SSU. The programme was conducted by Dr. Mrutyunjaya Rath.

Dr. Janaki Rangarajan opened the cultural presentation with Maharaja Swati Tirunal’s celebrated Pada Varnam, “Sami Ninne”, in Ragam Yadukulakambhoji and Adi Talam. A disciple of Madhavi Chandrasekhar and Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam, Rangarajan brought to the piece a distinctive combination of precision, individuality and expressive depth.

The varnam, centred on the viraha utkanthita nayika yearning for Lord Padmanabha, allowed the artiste to explore the many shades of separation and devotion. Rather than confining the heroine to the familiar pathos of longing, Rangarajan gave her an expansive emotional dimension, moving between vulnerability, intensity and spiritual yearning. Her nuanced abhinaya transformed the devotional poetry into an intimate psychological portrait, while her assured technique maintained the formal rigour of Bharatanatyam.

She was accompanied by Shilpa Gopalakrishnan on vocals, TV Sukanya on violin, K. Sarvesh on mridangam and S. Vijay Kumar on nattuvangam. The performance was enhanced by the creative light design of Debiprasad Mishra.

The evening subsequently shifted from the vocabulary of dance to the language of melody, as two accomplished Odisha flautists, Abhiram Nanda and Srinibas Satapathy, came together for a flute jugalbandi.

Nanda, a disciple of Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia and recipient of the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, brought tonal warmth and rhythmic assurance to the presentation. Satapathy, an Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar recipient, complemented him with melodic delicacy and vitality.

The duet began with a composition in Raag Madhuvanti set to Rupak Taal, before progressing through presentations in Madhyalaya Teen Taal and Dhrut Teen Taal. The two musicians maintained a sensitive balance between meditative expansiveness and technical dexterity, allowing the distinct timbres of their flutes to converge without losing their individual character.

The presentation then moved into Pahadi Dhun, first in Dadra and subsequently in Keherwa. Beginning on a tranquil and lilting note, the rendition gradually gathered rhythmic momentum, culminating in an energetic musical exchange. Their interplay alternated between majestic resonance and delicate melodic phrases, creating an atmosphere of acoustic harmony.

Young tabla artiste Yashwant Vaishnav added further vitality to the jugalbandi, responding to the flautists with crisp and agile rhythmic passages.

The evening’s technical presentation was supported by the festival’s sound team, led by Chief Sound Engineer C. Anand Krishna, with Bharath Krishna overseeing sound engineering and graphic design. The lighting was designed and operated by Debiprasad Mishra and D. Dhilip Kumar.

Coming a day after the festival witnessed a standing ovation for Odisha’s first presentation of Marganatya, Saugandhikaharanam, by Dr. Piyal Bhattacharya’s Chidakash Kalalay — Centre of Art and Divinity, the fourth evening reaffirmed the festival’s commitment to presenting diverse classical traditions on a common platform.

The 32nd GKCM Award Festival 2026 is supported by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and the Department of OLLC, Government of Odisha.