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A cultural evening for journalists

New Delhi: Vaishali Kala Kendra, Noida, in association with the Delhi Journalists Association, organized Guru Pranam Utsav 2019, at Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre on April 12. The two-day festival of Odissi dance and music witnessed many dignitaries from the field of arts and culture. They included Shri Sandeep Marwah, head of Marwah Studio, Noida, Chief New Coordinator of ‘Organiser Weekly’ and general secretary of Delhi Journalists Association Dr Pramod Kumar, editor of ‘Dialogue India’ Shri Anuj Agrawal, eminent Guru Bankim Sethi and Shri Sunil Kothari. Senior journalist from ‘All India Radio’ and Executive Member of DJA Shri Umesh Chaturvedi and senior journalist from ‘Rajya Sabha TV’ and Executive Member of DJA Shri Sagheer Ahmad along with more than 300 people from different walks of life including the DJA members, appreciated the wonderful performance by eminent Odissi dancer Jyoti Shrivastava and her disciples. All the presentations were marvelous.
Vaishali Kala Kendra is one of the leading institutes formed with a view of promoting Odissi dance/music. The institute is dedicated for propagating Odissi dance in the Metro city where the awareness and popularity of this dance is now noticeable. The Kendra has been organising ‘Guru Pranam Utsav’ for the last 30 years in memory of great Guru Srinath Raut, who dedicated his life proliferating the importance of Odissi as a cultural dance form across India and beyond. This was the 31st year of Guru Pranam Utsav.
The first day of the festival on April 12 began by ‘Krishna Stuti’ as a tribute to Guruji by Smt Jyoti Shrivastava and her senior disciples—Shaily, Isha, Rahul, Khyati and Shambhawi. The Odissi performances were given a finer touch by rhythmic presentation by Guru Jhelum Paranjape from Mumbai who presented Bhakti, an ‘abhinay’ based on saint poet Chokha Mela’s ‘abhangs’. Next presentation was Shivashtak by the guest artist from Japan Kaori Naka.
This year, the major highlight of the event was the new choreography ‘Shakuntala’ which redefined the very idea of Shakuntala and portrayed her as one amongst us and signified the flame of freedom in womanhood. This is a new choreography by Jyoti Shrivastava and was presented by Jyoti herself along with Shaily Chatterjee, Isha Das, Khyati, Shambhawi, Ritisha and Rahul Varshney.
The evening concluded by award ceremony conferring Guru Srinah Raut Samman to Guru Gajendra Panda and Guru Trinath Maharana and inspiring words of appreciation from the chief guest.


Released by
Dinesh Yadav, Office Secretary, DJA

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