Bhubaneswar: The 30th Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra (GKCM) Award Festival 2024 at Rabindra Mandap organised by Srjan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Nrityabasa began the fresh week with celebrated flautist Pt, Rakesh Chaurasia and brilliant tabla player Ojas Adhiya regaling audiences with a superlative Hindustani music Jugalbandi. Grammy winner Chaurasia rendered his melodic best in perfect tandem with the brilliant percussion play of Adhiya, an Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar and Sangeet Virasat Yuva Puraskar awardee.
As the two seasoned musicians explored harmonic nuances and rhythmic intricacies on their wind and percussion instruments respectively, they ventured into the depths of classical Hindustani music. This Jugalbandi was conducted in perfect synergy, with each musician imbuing the aura of the other through their seamless musical repartee.
For the applauding audience, the spirit of repartee between the two set the pitch for the concert as they weaved in their unique playing styles into the rich classicism of their gharanas exploring a multitude of ragas, talas, and musical intricacies, leaving the audiences delighted. Earlier, the evening commenced with the auspicious lighting of the lamp, in the presence of guests and dignitaries, Bijay Ketan Upadhyaya, Director, Odia Language Literature & Culture Department, Sudhi Ranjan Mishra, Head, Corporate Affairs, Paradeep Phosphates Limited; and Guru RatikantMohapatra, Director, Srjan. The week-long Award Festival approaches closure with a Kathak performance by Guru Ashimbandhu Bhattacharjee and the Upasana Centre for Dance on the penultimate day, and Guru Ratikant Mohapatra’s very own Srjan ensemble, in addition to the prestigious award ceremony on the final day. English daily Orissa POST and popular Odia daily Dharitri are the print media partners for the event.