Gangadhar Pradhan

Gangadhar Pradhan (1948–2010) was an eminent Odissi (Orissi) exponent and teacher, who also founded the Konark Natya Mandap in Konark Puri in 1986 and organised several dance festivals in the temple city during his lifetime.^[1] Born on July 10, 1948 in a village called Parikula (off Brahmagiri) in eastern India's Orissa, he died in the state capital of Bhubaneswar on October 11, 2010, and had several leading dancer-disciples besides top national and international honours to his credit.

Early life and background

Gangadhar was born on July 10, 1948, to a humble farmer couple, Muralidhar Pradhan and Dwitika Devi, of Parikul village off Brahmagiri in Puri district. A bout of initial ill-health prompted Gangadhar's father to vow that if this child survive, he would send the boy to serve their worshiping deity Lord Balukeshwar at Dimirisena for five years. The child, at age five, was sent to serve the Lord Balukeshwar at Dimirisena. After that, for along 10 years, the boy remained in the temple and served Lord Shiva as a devotee. He was trained in the Gotipua form of art that laid a life of rigorous training and exercise under the direct supervision of the gurus. He was a quick learner and reproduced his lessons neatly to the entire satisfaction of his teachers: late gurus Banchanidhi Pradhan, Pandit Chandrasekhar Patnaik, Guru Mahadev Rout and Guru Birabar Sahoo.

Dance education

At age 15, when Gotipua finished, members of the large extended family wanted him to return to the family business of agriculture. It was a time of conflict and suffocation for the boy, but he was determined, and his father and mother gave him their blessings to go and seek his fortune with his skills elsewhere Pandit Chandrasekhar Patnaik, landlord of Dimirisena encouraged him to go learn mardal from Guru Singhari Shyamsundar Kar at Puri, while in the course of this training, Guru Singhari Shyamasundar Kar and Guru Mahadev Rout inspired and motivated him to go to college and continue dance training. Thus, in July,1965, the boy arrived in Bhubaneswar and gave a dance interview performing Gotipua pieces, for admission to college on July 10, his 17th birthday. The judges included Late Padmashree Sanjukta Panigrahi and scholar Dhiren Patnaik. They were impressed, and told all the faculty of the promising young boy in whom they saw much future potential and rrecommened him highly. He was given admission into Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, Bhubaneswar. He was privileged to learn from Padmashree Guru Pankaj Charan Das, Late Guru Debaprasad Das and Dr. Minati Mishra. He completed the 6 years course and received the Nrutya Acharya. He also began to learn the mardal (Odissi Drum) in college from Late Guru Singhari Shyam Sundar Kar and Guru Banamali Maharana. He studied the mardal for four years. He is none other than Guru Sri Gangadhar Pradhan. His entrance to college was based on sheer determination to succeed and his ever unfailing courage. Life at college was far from being easy. Students never got their stipends regularly and even that was barely enough to cover all expenses. Financial support from family was rated out as most of them were poor and others saw dance and music as a loathsome profession. Thus, they had to both study and earn their keep side by side. The village lad from Parkul, was serious, obedient and hardworking. He was very bright and progressed rapidly. He laboured for hours to make himself prominent among other students. As a third year student, he was already practicing fourth and fifth year items and was selected to perform at all important dance functions at the college, with the inspiration and guidance of Dr. Minati Mishra. She gave him opportunity and blessings and taught him some Bharata Natyam items. He practiced incessantly to achieve perfection in the dance form. His additional talent as a mardal player made his teachers depend on him in absence of an accompanist. Parents of girl students started inviting him to accompany their daughters for practice. Gradually he started teaching students privately. Playing the mardala, he also conducted programs in different places like professional theatre groups, schools, universities, annual functions etc. While he was in the 3rd year, under the guidance of Guru Pankaj Charan Das he got an opportunity to play the mardal for the noted dancer Rita Devi, and with her went to Bombay, Delhi and Pune. From there, he started participating in many programmes. He won 1st prize in the all orissa dance competition held at Puri. Then came opportunities in the form of Oriya film producers, opera proprietors, theatre mangers, who wanted him to direct dance sequences in their plays and films. Completing his Nritya Acharya degree in 1971, he received the National Scholarship from the Government of India from 1971-73. With this scholarship, he undertook three years of advanced training under Padmabibhusan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra in Odissi dance and Mardala for dance. He got extensive theoretica training for dance from Dhirendranath Pattnaik, Guru Sri Pradhan was married to Smt. Sulochana Pradhan in 1972 and began his family and his career.

Career

By the time he had graduated from college he had already established himself among the art lovers of Bhubaneswar. He was actively associated with many organizations like Bhubaneswar kalakendra, Sangeeta of Jatni, Chilika Sangeet Parishad in Balugaon, Pranoti Kalamandir at Puri, etc. He directed and choreographed many dance items while directing the annual day events of numerous girls‘ schools boys schools, women‘s colleges, and the state govt. department of theatre group etc. He got involved in Ekamra theatres from the year 1969. It was then that the found a great patron within Kamal Lochan Mohanty of Ekamra theatres. It was here that he composed the choreography of two rassas (stories on the pattern of a dance drama), One was ―Manabhanjana‖ (Basant Raasa) and the other was ―Balyaleela‖ (Child Krishna). In ―Manabhanjana‖, Guru Pradhan played the role of Krishna in many programs.His students also participated, for example, Aruna Mohanty played the character of Lalita, friend of Radha. These theatre pieces ran for hundreds and hundreds of shows. Its popularity led Kamal Lochan Mohanty to think of making ―Manabhanjana‖ into a classical film (the film was called ―Sri Krishna Raasleela‖). Guru Pradhan asked his guru, Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra to choreograph the film and was himself the chief assistant choreographer. Most of the roles in the film were played by his students. The film director was Sona Mukherjee.

Awards And Honours

He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1998^[2] and the Padma Shri (Indian's fourth highest civilian award) in 2008.^[3] Awarded first prize in Odissi Dance Competition organized by Odissi Bikasha Pratisthana in 1969. Felicitated by Museumsassm of India, 1985 Title of Honorary Citizenship from the Mayor, City of Baltimore in 1988 Chilika Ratna by Brahmagiri Yubajyoti Sahitya Sansad in 1990 Title of Honorary citizenship from the Mayor of the City of Memphis in 1990 Awarded by Shruti, the India Music & Dance Society in 1990 Appreciate by Muziekschool of Amsterdam in 1991 State Sangeet Natak Akademi Award – 1993 Felicitated by Dramatic Club, Utkal Universtiy in 1995 Felicitated by Kalinga Sanskrutika Anusthan in 1995 Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1997 Recognized for his outstanding contribution by Orissa Society of America, New jersey Chapter in 1998 Felicitated by Manomanini in 1998 Ovation by Sookruti, Bhubaneswar in 1998 Felicitated by Parampara, Raghuraj Pur in 1999 Ganakabi Sambardhana – 1999 Felicitated by Akhanda Puri Zilla palla Gayaka Parishada in 1999 Felicitated by OSA Canadian Chapter in 1999 Felicitated by Balunkeshwar Mahadeb Yajna Committee Awarded by Shree Nilachala Nikhilotkala Pala Gayaka Parishad in 2000 Nimain Samman by Natua, Nimapara in 2000 Felicitated by Utkal Pathak Samsad – 2000 Nrutya Chudamani by Bharata Sevashram Sangha, Puri in 2001 Felicitated by Badasankha Yuba Sanskrutika Parishada, Puri in 2001 Nrutya Pratibha Samman – 2001 1st Basanta Mahotsava Sammana -2001 Padma Keshari Award, 2001 by Chinta ‘O’ Chetna, Bhubaneswar Bishesh Samman by Sulekha Sahitya Sanskruti Parishad -2002 State Level Sadbhabana Award in 2002 Rajiv Gandhi Sanjukta Panigrahi National Award – 2002 Sanskrooti Bharati Award by National Council of Asian India Association,

USA in the year 2002

Parala Nrutya Utsav Samman by Gajapati Natya Mandap Felicitated by Lions Club, Cuttack Diamond Felicitated by Chinmayee Classic, Bhubaneswar Felicitated by Janajivana Sahitya Sansad Pride of India in 2003 by Asha Memorial Trust Honoured by Dakshina Odisha Sahitya Sammelan in 2003 Guru Pratibha Sanskruti Samman – 2003 by Niramana Paribara Certificate of Apreciation from the Mayor of Tulsa 2003 Nataraj Samman – 2004 by Denkhnal Sambadik Sangha Desharatna Samman by Bharati Foundation Trust – 2004 Felicitated by Soor Singar Sansad, 2004 Felicitated by Sangeeta Kala Niketana, Brahmapur in 2004 Honoured by MI OSA, 2005 Bibiddha Barna Cultural Award – 2005 Nrutyamani Award - 2005 Certificate of Appreciation by Bharatiya Temple and Cultural Centre, USA in 2005 Music Achievement Award by OSA Southwest Chapter in 2005 Honoured by Shree Jagannath Mandir Trust, Puri, 2005 Felicitated by Aum Art Dance Academy, Baroda in 2005 Gundicha Samman – 2005 Certificate of Appreciation from SIGN, Europe in 2005 Felicitated by Indian Cultural Association of Burmingham in 2005 Felicitated by Satyabadi Sangeeta Mohavidyalaya, Sakshigopal in 2006 Mayadhar Mansingh Centenary Award, 2006 Honoured by Institute of Engineers in 2006 Shishu Bharati Samman-2006 by Shishu Bharati , Gop, Puri Udra Pankaj Samman – 2006 Salimar Omptwa -2006 Award Felicitated by Jagannatha Lalita Kala Parishada, 2006 Pratibha Samman – 2006 by Awahan Felicitated by Ramachandra Kalpana Mahavidyalaya through Pratibha Anweshan -2006 Felicitated in Orissa Festival -2006 in Delhi Haat Honoured by Nrutyanjali, Rourkela in 2007 Rajdhani Gaurab Samman – 2007 Sanskruti Pratibha Samman – 2008 by Sanskruti, Talcher Kalu Nanda Memorial Award, BBSR – 2008 Krupajal Samman, BBSR - 2008 Ghungur Samman, BBSR -2008 Aame Odiya Samman, I & PR Dept. Orissa – 2008 ( Delhi Hat ) Chira Sandhhan Samman, – 2008 Padmashree, Govt. of India - 2008 Basanta Utasav, Music Circle, Rourkela – 2009 Gurupranam, Swami Dayananda Service Mission, BBSR – 2009 Srividya Samman, Agragami Odissi Nrutya Pratisthan – 2009 Dhara Sriradha Samman, Dhara Sriradha, BBSR – 2009 Banichitra Samman (Lifitime Achievement), Banichitra, BBSR Doctorate in Odissi Dance by Utkal University 2010

References