International Odissi Festival 2006: Bichitrananda Swain performs Ahe nila saila
Director: Kelucharan Mohapatra
Duration: 00:16:41; Aspect Ratio: 1.333:1; Hue: 14.946; Saturation: 0.151; Lightness: 0.229; Volume: 0.435; Cuts per Minute: 0.479; Words per Minute: 10.788
Summary: The 3rd International Odissi Festival was organised by IPAP between December 26 - 30, 2006 in Bhubaneswar. Dedicated to the memory of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, the festival also saw the construction of a gigantic open-air dance theatre in the Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya campus. The daylong performances included leading and upcoming Odissi dancers. The festival also made space for seminars, Odissi music and lecture demonstrations.
Guru Bichitrananda Swain, the director of Rudraksh, is an Odissi performer, teacher and choreographer. He served as a visiting instructor at Nrityagram, Bangalore as well as being a chief instructor of Orissa Dance Academy.
Ahe nila saila is an Oriya abhinaya where the poet Salbeg dwells on the divinity of Lord Jagannath. Salbeg, Muslim by birth and a leper, cannot enter the temple and yearns for a glimpse of his lord. It is choreographed by Kelucharan Mohapatra.
Bhubaneswar
Jagannath
Kelucharan Mohapatra
Oriya abhinaya
Puri
Rudrakshya
Salbeg
Ahe nila saila prabhala matta barana
mu arata nalini banaku kara dalana
Translation
Behold the blue mountain, as majestic as a great intoxicated elephant,
Just as the elephant tramples upon the water lilies in a pond, I implore you to destroy the weakness in my heart.
(Rhythmic interlude)
Gajaraja chinta kola thai ghora jalena
chakra pesi nakra nasi uddharile apana
Translation:
The king elephant Gajendra called you to his rescue, there, in the deep waters; (when he was trapped by a scheming crocodile)
Brandishing your chakra, you killed the crocodile and saved the day and proved your greatness.
(Rhythmic interlude)
Kuru sabha sthale suni draupadi ku janana
Koti bastra dei hele lajja kara barana
Translation:
In the court of the Kauravas, you heard Draupadi's fervent appeals
and bestowed on her an unceasing length of cloth, thus protecting her modesty.
(Rhythmic interlude)
Prahlada pita seje bada dushta daruna
stambha ru bahari taku bidarile apana
Translation:
Prahlada's father, that extremely cruel demon
you emerged from a pillar and tore him asunder.
(Rhythmic interlude)
Verse:
Kahe salbega hina jati re mu jabana
Sriranga charana tale karu acchi janana
Translation:
Salbeg says that he belongs to a very low caste of the yavanas
At the feet of Sriranga, I place all my entreaties.
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