Born & nurtured in the temples of Odisha, Odissi, an ancient, breathtakingly beautiful form of sacred dance, is admired for its fluid grace, sculptural sensuality and deep spirituality. Initially performed in the temple of Lord Jagannath in Odisha as a form of worship and meditation, the living tradition of Odissi has been perpetuated over the centuries by the Maharis (devdasis from Odisha) and the Gotipuas (young boy dancers dressed as girls). Under the aesthetic depth of Odissi dance, lies its essence of spirituality and the quest for realisation of the Divine. The spiritual elevation and the emotional depth, help the dancer rise from mundane worries of the world, and the joy and bliss one gets, as if he/she is one with the art and one with the Divine! The event promises an enchanting evening in store for all art lovers when Madhulita Mohapatra and her disciple Gairika Mathur will bring the beauty & elegance of Odissi dance to viewers’ delight.
Young talented Madhulita Mohapatra has carved a niche as one of the leading Odissi exponents in south India. A disciple of Guru Shri Gangadhar Pradhan, Guru Smt. Aruna Mohanty, Guru Shri Pabitra Kumar Pradhan & Guru Krushnachandra Sahoo, she is admired & applauded by the connoisseurs & critics alike, for her profound artistry and her innate abhinaya quality. A graded artiste of Doordarshan & an empanelled artiste of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), she is the recipient of the prestigious IIDF 2017 & BCKA Yuva Kala Pratibha awards
Gairika Mathur, was brought into the beautiful world of dance at a very early age of four through her Guru, Smt. PadminiChakraborty. She has been pursuing her training in Odissi dance form under the guidance of her Guru Smt. Madhulita Mohapatra and has performed in prestigious dance festivals of India like NaadaNeerajanam, Tirupati, Naman, Articulate Festival, Kapaleeshwar Temple festival.