Odissi Dance: Pankaja Festival 2022 held in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: Pankaja Festival 2022, named after Adi Guru Padma Shri Pankaj Charan Das was organised at the Bhanja Kala Mandapa near Kalpana square in Bhubaneswar on Sunday. The glittering show witnessed eminent dancers mesmerizing the audience with their attractive dance moves.

The afternoon session of the Dance Fest began with a solo Odissi vocal recital by Smt Giribala Pattnaik and followed by a series of performance by young and dynamic dancers as solo, duet and group performances.

Later, the evening session of the fest commenced with lighting lamp in front of Lord Jagannath and shraddhanjali to Adi Guru by the guests including eminent Odissi vocal exponent Keshab Chandra Rout, eminent Odissi mardala exponent Dhaneswar Swain, eminent Odissi dancer Smt Mukilata Pal and renowned Odia film actor Samaresh Routray along with founder Basanta Kumar Das and festival director cum nationally acclaimed Odissi exponent and mentor Pallavi Das.

The evening performances began with a group Odissi dance by Adi Guru Odissi Gurukul danced to the tune of ‘Dasha Avatar’. The dance was choreographed and performed by senior students of Adi Guru Odissi Gurukul along with granddaughter of Adi Guruji Pallavi Das.

This performance was followed by a solo by Hare Krushna Dhal, a young Odissi dancer from Nrutya Naivedya who performed on ‘Ahe Nila Shaila’. The third performance of the evening was a solo by Guru Sri Laxmidhar Jena chief mentor of Nrutya Darpan.

The festival also witnessed energetic Samblpuri folk dance by Mudra Dance Academy and Adi Guru Odissi Gurukul.

About Adi Guru Pankaj Charan Das

Being a descendant of the ‘Mahari’ tradition, Guru Pankaj Charan Das has developed a distinctive style articulated and marked in his dance choreographies. He is the pioneer who has brought this ritualistic service as a dance form, from the temple to the stage. His creativity and innovation have always adhered to purity.

About Adi Guru Odissi Gurukul

To commemorate the legendary Guru and his contribution to carry on the great tradition, Adi Guru Odissi Gurukul has been organizing this festival. It is solely devoted to imparting training in Odissi dance, music and art. This Academy fully dedicated to the father of Odissi dance Padma Shri Guru Pankaja Charan Das.

Guruji’s eldest son Basanta Ku Das is the founder of this organisation named as Guru Pankanj Udra Sanskruti Academy and since 2012 Pallavi Das the grand-daughter of Adi Guruji and daughter of Basanta Ku Das is imparting the knowledge of this divine art form of Odissi Dance and taken forward the legacy worldwide.

“After two years of pandemic situation from 2022 we rebranded our organisation and named as Adi Guru Odissi Gurukul and introduced Adi Guru Pankaj Charan Das memorial award to be presented to an eminent artist of Odissi dance and music,” Pallavi Das said.

“As an old student of Adi Guruji and eminent Odissi dance Guru, we presented this year’s Adi Guru Pankaj Charan Das memorial award to Guru Sri Laxmidhar Jena, the founder of Nruyta Darpan, she also said.