Vrindavan, 2017.08.12 (VT): On the evening of August 10th, Venu Naad Kalaa Kendra presented its 22nd annual dance festival at the Swami Vivekananda Auditorium at Ramkrishna Mission Sevashram. The audience was spellbound by the expertise of the artists as they presented scenes from the life of Shri Krishna through the medium of Odissi dance.
The Venunaad Arts Center is one of the foremost institutes of music and dance in Braj, providing instruction in Odissi dance, singing and instrumental music in the lineage of Srimati Kunjalata Misra. It was established by Guru Pratap Narayan in conjunction with Vishnupriya Devi and Shri Balkrishna Pandey with the mission to preserve and spread this ancient art form to the world.
The sansthan performs throughout India including major festivals like the Taj Mahotsav, Brajraj Mahotsav, Konark Mahotsav, Puri Beach Mahotsav, Jhansi Mahotsav, Udaipur Mahotsav and Antarashtriya Odissi Nritya Utsav. They have also presented Odissi dance internationally in countries such as the USA, Poland, Russia, Australia, Croatia, the Phillipines, Chile, Uzbekistan, Colombia, Italy and others.
Dharma Raksha Sangh adhyaksh Shri Saurabh Gaur welcomed the audience with an invocation. Chief guest Acharya Shrivatsa Goswami and special guest Shri Govindananda Tirtha Maharaj lit lamps and offered worship to Lord Jagannath Dev and Guru Pratap Narayan and Vishwabandhu Sharma honored the guests with prasadi garlands. Dr. Chandraprakash Sharma introduced the sansthan and gave an overview of the evening’s program.
Thereafter the artists took the stage and presented Ganesh Vandana – “namami vighnaraajatam”, followed by guruvandana and sthayi nritya; “lalita lavanga lata parishilana” and “dasavatar” from Shri Jayadev Kavi’s Gita Govindam; Raas in three parts – “radhe dekho ban ki baat, ritubasant mukulit, kusum aru pal paat”, “sundar pulin subhag sukh daayak, nav nav dhan anuraag paraspar khelat kuvar naagari naayak”, “aaju gopaal raas ras khelat, pulin kalpataru teer ri sajani”; and Mahaaraas – “khelat raas rasik braj mandal, juvatin ans diye bhuj dandan, sarad vimal nabha candra virajai, madhur madhu murali kali baajai”, ending with a stirring Vande Mataram.
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