When ‘god’ danced for the last time

Gopabandhu PattanaikThe morning of April 1, 2004, in Lucknow was not the same as other mornings.The previous evening, the doyen of Odishi dance, Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra, who was in the city on the invitation of Lucknow Oriya Samaj to perform on ‘Utkal Divas' (April 1), explained the intricacies of Odishi dance during an interaction with media persons."Innovation is welcome but in the name of experimentation, the fusion which was going on has corrupted the pristine glory of classical dances," he had asserted, without mincing words."Purity is the soul of classical dance, and I am committed to spreading love and universal brotherhood through Odishi," he said.On April 1 evening, the auditorium was packed to capacity much before the performance. People said in the isle, on windowsill, in every conceivable space to witness the ‘God of Odishi' perform in the city after 16 years.Then governor Vishnukant Shastri said that he would not deliver a speech and he was there to witness the maestro perform.Soon, expectations turned into palpable excitement. The curtain noiselessly moved and the footlights focused on a bare bodied, old man, all of 79 years of age, standing in the ‘Thrivang' posture, accompanied by young dancers in the traditional Odishi attire.But the main artist did not have any adornment, a simple ‘dhoti' across the waist and a ‘rudrakhya mala' around his neck, his old body shining in the bright light highlighting his presence.The music broke the trance and the dancers started gyrating and the ‘Guru ji' silently transformed to a maiden of 16, taking bath in a rivulet. His fingers, making different shapes through ‘mudras' (gestures) created a make-believe, magical world.He danced in great felicity displaying limitless energy. He not only danced but outdanced others who were in their twenties. His magical presence threw a charm and the audience sat glued to their seats, spellbound as if in a trance.Once the presentation reached the crescendo, a deep silence overtook the audience. After a couple of minutes, applause broke the hypnotic silence and spectators kept on clapping as if it would not stop.When the clapping subsided, the governor moved towards ‘Guru ji' to greet him. Before anybody could realize what was happening, the governor bent down and touched the feet of ‘Guru ji'.The auditorium, once again reverberated to the sounds of thunderous clapping. It was an act of acknowledgement of the temporal power bowing before the spiritual power.The master was taken aback. He had, a few moments back, taken the dance from a sensual level to a spiritual world, an experience, unmatched and unprecedented. Then principal secretary, culture, Rita Sinha remarked that ‘Guru ji' was a "living legend". He was an enigma. "When God wanted to dance, He took the form of Kelu Charan Mohapatra," she said.Twenty-two years have passed but the experience of that evening still lingers on. The connoisseurs, the laymen, the expert dance critics, as well as the innocent acolytes who were present in the auditorium that evening still cherish the cathartic experience.Those who wanted to attend the programme but unfortunately missed it, still carry the regret that they would carry to the end. They could not witness God dancing for the last time in Lucknow. He passed away on April 7, 2004.(Writer is an ex-IAS officer and president of Lucknow Oriya Samaj)
Check Rajasthan Board 12th Science Result 2026 Here - RBSE 12th Result Live Updates