“Preyashee Katha” unique Dance composition of rich cultural facets of Odia community presented at ICCR Kolkata

Partha Roy, Kolkata: ” Preyashee Katha” unique composition of rich cultural facets of Odia community presented through Odissi dance form at ICCR Kolkata on 2nd May 2024 .

Guru Sutapa Talukdar ( Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee ) and Gurukul repertory members presented the dance compositions.

Preyashee Katha -the production consists of two themes:
Nayika Bheda that talks about the classification of men and women on the basis of their behavioural patterns – Uttama, Madhyama and Adhama, as written by Sage Bharata in his book Natya Sastra.

Performers used three poems to delineate the qualities of these three types of nayikas :Uttama, Madhyama and Adhama .

Chautisha is an early form of Odia poetry written by Kavi Bhakta Das. The verse is a beautiful eulogy to the two Yadava brothers Krishna and Balaram who have set off on a journey to defeat Kamsa the King of Mathura. The description of their valour and beauty is hyperbolic as is the description of the grief of the villagers, Gops and Gopinis.

Guru Sutapa Talukdar enthralled the audience through her spell bound performance . Her expressions touched heart of the large section of the audience.
Guru Ramhari Das ‘s music composition for this production is one of the finest music composition in recent time.
Guru Dhaneshwar Swain brought in innovation in rhythm composition and enriched the presentation.

Young dancers of Gukukul repertory mesmerized the audience through their performance.
The composition celebrated unique human relationship between divinely figures and ordinary human figures in Odia mythological narratives.
The composition presented unique , prolife , inclusive side of Hinduism.

The audience gave standing ovation to Guru Sutapa Talukdar and Gurukul repertory members on conclusion as a part of deep appreciation of the presentation.
Narration was given by Smt.
Sunita Chaudhury

The program was anchored by acclaimed Kathak dancer Ms. Tanni Choudhary.

The program was attended by members of diplomatic community in the city , large no.of art and culture aficionados , artists, celebrities.
Swami Vamanananda of Ramakrishna Mission Barahanagar Kolkata attended the presentation.
Preyashee Katha
project is a brainchild of three S angeet Natak Academy awardees – Guru Ramhari Das (music composer), Guru Dhaneshwar Swain (rhythm composer) and Guru Sutapa Talukdar (dance choreographer). Overall artistic direction and choreography: Guru Sutapa Talukdar . Others who enriched the production & presentation :
Lights design: Shri Uttiya Jena ; Sound: Shri Hashi Panchal ;
Set and props: Shri Umesh Chandra Bera .