An Odissi recital that celebrates miniature expressions of love

Get ready for Odissi Sandhya, an evening of scintillating Odissi performances, in Bengaluru this week. The programme, called Anurati or an expression of love, is being organised by Bansi Bilas, in collaboration with Kalpana Dance Theatre (Kuala Lumpur) and Bengaluru-based Debnrutyam Studios.
Leena Mohanty, the show’s artistic director who will be performing with Shangita Namasivayam, and Debashish Pattnaik and group says she’s looking forward to their first stage show in over three years.
“While online platforms did act as an alternative, they were by no means a substitute to the ambience that live performances conjure. There was much emptiness that was felt,” she shares.

Now, Leena and the others are looking forward to “not only performing live, but also working together again. In celebrating the ability to resume live performances, we decided to maximise the opportunity,” she says, adding that the ease of travel restrictions helped with the planning.
“More than anything, it is fulfilling to be able to create an opportunity for aspiring dancers to gain exposure and to perform. This production is an ode to the glory of live performances,” Leena shares.
Swati Ramanujam, a close friend of the artistes, who also directs programmes apart from her day job as an analyst, explains the meaning of Anurati.
“Anu means little in Sanskrit, and Rati – one of the navarasas – means a miniature expression of love, which is profound,” she says.
“Rati can also mean romantic love, but it has many facets, and it all ultimately depends on how it is portrayed,” she adds.

-Devika V Menon