Chakradhar Samaroh

07/09/2024, Saturday

Inauguration Ceremony

The 39th Chakradhar Samaroh was inaugurated in a grand and colourful manner in the music and art capital city of Raigarh. Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai officially inaugurated this 10-day long festival. He said that music emperor Maharaj Chakradhar has given a new identity to classical art music in the world. He said that the state government is fulfilling the guarantee of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi day by day. Assuring all sections of the state including the farmers and the poor, he said that his government is working with full commitment for the progress of the state. He assured all possible help to preserve the local art culture as well as traditional heritage. On this occasion, he announced the opening of a music college in Raigarh. The Chief Minister saluted the music experts and scholars who have contributed in the field of music and art. On this occasion, the Chief Minister released the documentation booklet based on the rock paintings of Raigarh and the introduction booklet of Chakradhar Samaroh. On this occasion, the Chief Minister also released a coffee table book based on research in Brahmi script and Kharosthi script by journalist Shri Vinay Pandey. On this occasion, Shri Pandey presented a nameplate written in Brahmi script to the Chief Minister.

Agriculture Development and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Ramvichar said that Maharaj Chakradhar has preserved the art music of Raigarh Gharana. He has worked to give a new height to art music in the country and the world. His contribution cannot be forgotten. He said that along with classical art music, Emperor Chakradhar has given a new dimension to art culture by providing a platform to local artists. He said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai, the art culture of the state is working diligently for the preservation and promotion of the heritage here.

Finance Minister Shri O.P. Choudhary, while addressing the inaugural ceremony of Chakradhar Samaroh, said that Chakradhar Samaroh will be organized in a grand manner and today it is being organized in this grand manner with the cooperation of the District Administration, Culture Department and Tourism Department. He said that eight renowned Padmashree artists of the country are coming to participate in this event. He said that the importance of Chakradhar Samaroh can be gauged from the fact that renowned artists from different provinces of the country wish to perform here. He congratulated and wished the organizers including the District Administration for this grand event.

On this occasion, Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Kunwar Devendra Pratap Singh, Raigarh Member of Parliament Radheshyam Rathia, Smt. Urvashi Singh of the royal family, Smt. Bijaya Singh along with other public representatives and a large number of citizens were present.

Mrs. Hema Malini

08/09/2024, Sunday

Mr. Vijay Sharma

On the second day of Chakradhar Samaroh, Mr. Vijay Sharma and team gave their first performance in the form of folk singing The audience was mesmerized by Chhattisgarhi songs, Kori Kori Nariyal Chadhe, Mahua Jhare songs won the hearts of the audience.

Ms. Vani Rao

At the 39th Chakradhar Samaroh, renowned classical singer Ms. Vani Rao from Bhopal mesmerized the audience with her mesmerizing performance. Today, her classical singing followed by Lord Ganesh Vandana, Bada Khayal, Chota Khayal in Pooriya Dhanashree created a spiritual and musical atmosphere in the ceremony. Vani Rao gave a beautiful rendition of traditional ragas. The simplicity and emotionality of her notes captivated the music lovers present in the ceremony.

Dr. Poornashree Raut

Dr. Poornashree Raut’s Odissi dance mesmerized the audience Famous Odissi dancer Dr. Poornashree Raut presented a religious worship song dedicated to Lord Jagannath through Odissi dance. The audience got to see such a form of dance on stage by the famous Odissi dance artist Dr. Poornashree that everyone kept looking at her every posture and expression with curiosity. Her Odissi dance full of expressions mesmerized the audience. The audience got immersed in a devotional atmosphere after watching the religious song Aaradhana of Lord Jagannath.

Dipannita Sarkar

The unique confluence of Lucknow Gharana and Jaipur Gharana came on stage. Kathak dancer Ms. Dipannita Sarkar, who came from Delhi, performed on stage on the second evening of Chakradhar Samaroh. During the dance, her expressions and postures made the whole program wonderful. Dipannita Sarkar belongs to the Lucknow Gharana of Kathak and the artist Saurabh, who is giving the performance, belongs to the Jaipur Gharana. In this way, the audience got to see the unique confluence of Lucknow and Jaipur Gharana on stage. During the entire performance, the accompaniment of the dancers with Pakhawaj, Harmonium, Flute and Tabla was worth watching. We Kathak artists are taught about Raja Chakradhar Singh. We artists have been learning about his artistic contributions since childhood. Today we are getting a chance to exhibit our art in his city. It is a matter of good fortune for us.

Padma Shri Ranjana Gauhar

The life of the great poet of Bhakti period, Kabir, came alive through dance on the stage of Chakradhar Samaroh today when Padma Shri Ranjana Gauhar showed his life journey through Odissi dance. The dialogues of the mystic poet Kabir with his mother Neema and father Neeru and the different stages of his life, his learnings and experiences were presented in an interesting way through dance postures by Padma Shri Ranjana Gauhar and her fellow artists. It was a wonderful experience for the audience to watch the melodious and rhythmic presentation of Kabir’s couplets and bhajans. Mrs. Ranjana Gauhar was honoured with the prestigious Padma Shri Award in 2003 for her contributions in the field of Odissi dance. She has also received the National Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 2007 from the President of India. Apart from being a renowned dancer, she is also a famous screenwriter, choreographer and film producer. She was born in Delhi, after learning Kathak in childhood she learned Manipuri dance and after being introduced to Odissi dance she dedicated her life to this dance form. She made documentaries and gave Odissi dance a unique identity in the whole country. She has explained the nuances of Odissi dance in her book Odissi, ‘The Dance Divine’. ‘Odissi’ is a classical dance form of Odisha state. This style originated from the dance of Devadasis who used to dance in temples.

09/09/2024, Monday

Shri Ramprasad Sarathi

The third evening of the Chakradhar Samaroh began with the classical singing of Shri Ramprasad Sarathi, who was awarded Sangeet Visharad. His melodious voice filled the audience with devotion through his Bhajans. He beautifully conveyed the dialogue between God and his devotee through the Bhajan ‘Hey Ishwar aapne humein kya nahi diya, humne jante humne kya kiya, aisa kya kaam kiya maine ki tune mera haath thaam liya’.

Ms. Jaya Diwan

Raigarh’s Kathak dancer Ms. Jaya Diwan gave a wonderful dance performance. Jaya Diwan won the hearts of the audience by incorporating traditional Kathak as well as modern styles in her performance. Her dance art was a unique blend of pure technical skills along with emotions and expressions. Jaya’s performance included a wonderful coordination of Kathak’s speed and ghungroo. Jaya’s performance was highly appreciated by the audience.

Ms. Dharitri Singh Chauhan

Ms. Dharitri Singh Chauhan, a Kathak artist from Raigarh and belonging to the Raigarh Gharana, won the hearts of the audience by presenting an attractive Kathak performance. She started Kathak with Shri Ramchandra Kripalu Bhajaman… and left an indelible impression with her moves in different verses.

Shri Shanky Singh

Shri Shanky Singh showed the fascinating nuances of Kathak in Ganesh Vandana Shri Shanky Singh, a disciple of Padma Vibhushan Pandit Shri Birju Maharaj, presented Kathak in a new style. He charmed the audience with his attractive Kathak dance performance on Gajmukh Lage Ati Sundar… Garajat-Garjat Ghanghor Baadal… based on the praise of Lord Shri Ganesh. He has been learning Kathak from a young age and is currently researching the nuances of Kathak, which was clearly visible in his expressions and postures in his performance. Shri Shanky Singh, an artist honoured with many awards, paid tribute to Raja Chakradhar Singh with a Kathak dance performance.

Shri Gajendra Panda and Ms. Arya Nande

Shri Gajendra Panda, the dynamic guru of the new generation of Odissi dancers, is a renowned Odissi guru and the bearer of the Dev Prasad tradition. He prepares a new crop of Odissi dancers along with senior artists through the Odissi dance institute ‘Tridhara’, operating in Bhubaneswar. Guru Shri Gajendra Kumar Panda provides a common platform to new and established artists every year through the dance event ‘Devdhara’. Guru Shri Gajendra Kumar Panda, who has been awarded with many national and international awards, has the distinction of taking many choreographed ghungroos of Odissi dance to many countries across the seas. He has performed in 39 countries and has been honoured with the Sahitya Akademi Award and other renowned awards of the country and abroad. Along with this, Ms. Arya Nande of Sarangarh, a very bright young star of the Odissi sky, gave a special participation in the dance competition.

It is noteworthy that Odissi is the home of dance and is one of the many forms of Indian classical dance. In the form of sensuality and singing, Odissi is a dance of love and emotion, gods and humans, earthly and otherworldly. Many regional characteristics are also mentioned in the Natya Shastra. The south-eastern style is known as the Udhra Magadha style, of which modern Odissi can be identified as an ancient forerunner. Odissi dance is based on the devotion of Mahaprabhu Jagannath, the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Torso movement is a very important and a distinctive feature of the Odissi style. In this the lower part of the body remains stationary and the torso moves from side to side parallel to the axis through the center of the upper part of the body. This requires special training for balance so any movement of the shoulders or hips is avoided. There are fixed foot movements with flat feet, toe or heel combination. It is used in a variety of complex combinations. There are also many possibilities of foot movements. Most of the foot movements are spiral or circular on the ground or in intervals. Apart from foot movements there is a variety of movements for jumps or turns and certain postures are inspired by sculpture. These are called Bhangi, it is a real combination of ending the movement in a certain posture. Hand gestures play an important role in both Nritta and Nritya. In Nritta they are used only as decorative embellishments and in Nritya they are used for communication.

Chand Afzal Qadri

On the fourth evening of Chakradhar Samaroh in Raigarh, Chand Afzal Qadri, who arrived from Delhi, presented a program of Qawwali. People were eagerly waiting for this program which started late at night. As soon as Chand Afzal Qadri started his first Qawwali on the love of the country, the enthusiasm of the listeners was worth seeing. During the entire program, the rounds of couplets and shers also continued in between. The listeners also joined in the Jugalbandi. Chand Afzal Qadri performed on songs like Aadmi Aadmi Se Mohabbat Kare, Chhaap Tilak Sab Chheeni Re Mose Naina Milai Ke, Damadam Mast Kalandar. The sequence of Qawwali continued till late at night. Chand Afzal Qadri has also performed Qawwali in countries like London, America, Mauritius.

10/09/2024, Tuesday

Mrs. Anita Sharma

In the fourth musical evening of Chakradhar Samaroh-2024, Anita Sharma of Raigarh started the program in a devotional atmosphere with the collective singing of devotional songs and cheers of Lord Shri Ganesh Vandan Ghar Mein Padharo Gajanan Ji. The audience was mesmerized by her melodious presentation of Nagari Ho Ayodhya Ki … Raghukul Ka Gharana Ho. On the occasion, she is presenting one devotional song after another.

Ms. Nitya Khatri

In the second episode of the program, Nitya Khatri’s Kathak presentation, expressions and postures captivated the entire program. Nitya Khatri is receiving training from Shri Bhupendra Bareth Kathak dance of Raigarh Gharana. The word Kathak originates from the word Katha, which literally means to tell a story. This dance is mainly performed in North India. Raigarh Gharana, Lucknow Gharana, Jaipur Gharana are especially famous in Kathak dance style. Before the presentation of Kathak dance, he said that whatever I am today is because of my Guru. He thanked the district administration for giving him the opportunity to perform on this stage.

Shri Tapseer Mohammad

The fourth evening of Chakradhar Samaroh was adorned with the melodious tunes of accordion. Tapseer Mohammad and his team, who arrived from Raipur, gave instrumental performances of many famous songs. The specialty of the program was that from the 8-year-old little artist to the 77-year-old legendary artist Tapseer Mohammad, together presented such a program that they kept getting applause from the audience throughout the program. They gave wonderful performances on songs like Jeena Yahan Marna Yahan, Iske Siwa Jana Kahan, Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyar Ke Charche, Aji Aisa Mauka Phir Kahan Milega.. An Evening in Paris, Gulabi Aankhein Jo Teri Dekhi.

When African artists reached the stage of Chakradhar Samaroh, they said Chhattisgarhis are the best

A unique sight was seen on the stage of Chakradhar Samaroh today. When African artists came on the stage to anchor the accordion playing, the audience was filled with curiosity. G Rex and Crony Honid who came from South Africa kept giving details of the program to the audience. The listeners enjoyed it a lot. The audience was very excited to see foreign artists among them.

Shri Shiv Prasad Rao

Shri Shiv Prasad Rao of Delhi is presenting classical singing. Classical music is a beautiful confluence of emotions and ragas. Pandit Shiv Prasad has presented his performances on various prestigious platforms including Akashvani and Doordarshan. Classical singing started from the Vedic period. There are two systems of classical music, Hindustani music and Carnatic music. Pandit Shiv Prasad was educated in Cuttack. Due to his special interest in Hindustani classical singing, he received training from the Gwalior classical gharana. Hindustani music is dominated by sound, while Carnatic music is dominated by emotions.

Mrs. Basanti Vaishnav and Jyotishree Bohidar

The famous Kathak dancers of Raigarh Kathak Gharana, Mrs. Basanti Vaishnav and Jyotishree Bohidar, mother-daughter duo gave a captivating performance of Kathak dance. On the occasion of Chakradhar Samaroh, today the mother-daughter duo gave a captivating performance of the program through the composition of Thakur Gajamdi Singh, by performing live the descent of Maa Ganga on earth. Kathak of Raigarh Gharana has been glorified by Mrs. Basanti Vaishnav by presenting it in many countries like China, France, Japan, Dubai. Similarly, Mrs. Jyotishree Bohidar has also presented the captivating Kathak dance of Raigarh Gharana on many international platforms like Spain, Nepal, Dubai. Today, in Chakradhar Samaroh, she gave a captivating performance in the pure style of Kathak of Raigarh Gharana through Ang and Bhaav Sanchalan. Mrs. Jyotishree Bohidar is a third generation Kathak dancer of Raigarh Gharana and is currently receiving training from Pt. Rajendra. Indian music and dance is enriched by artists like these. The team of renowned Kathak dancer Mrs. Basanti Vaishnav and Jyotishree Bohidar gave a mesmerizing performance by excellent tabla players, flute players, musicians etc.

Mr. Rakesh Chaurasia

Grammy Award winner Mr. Rakesh Chaurasia mesmerized the audience with his mesmerizing performance of flute playing. Rakesh Chaurasia is the nephew of renowned flute player Mr. Hariprasad Chaurasia.

He gave a melodious performance of flute playing along with his instrumental partner Mr. Rupak Bhattacharya. Mr. Rakesh Chaurasia gave a wonderful performance of Raag Hemavati, skillfully expressing human emotions with a good combination of voice and rhythm.

11/09/2024,  Wednesday

Ms. Soumya Namdev

In the fifth musical evening of Chakradhar Samaroh organized at Ramlila Maidan, Raigarh, a young and talented girl Soumya Namdev gave an attractive performance on Kathak dance. With the perfect combination of the beats of the tabla and other musical instruments, Kathak dancer Ms. Soumya Namdev established a better coordination of her expressions.

Ms. Deep Mala Singh

In the Chakradhar Samaroh organized at Kaladhani Raigarh, Raigarh’s Kathak dancer Deepmala mesmerized the audience with her pleasing performance. Ms. Deep Mala Singh, who has graduated from Indira Sangeet Kala Vishwavidyalaya Khairagarh, has not only been registered for her Kathak dance in the Guinness Book of World Records, but she has also been awarded with many honours including Kala Ratna Sam. Deepmala ji is accompanied by Mr. Gautam Das from Khairagarh, Mr. Shivanshu Choubey from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Ajay Kumar Kushwaha from Madhya Pradesh, Sitar player Mr. Akhilesh Sethiya from Jagdalpur and Mr. Saurabh Patel from Shakti district.

Ms. Riti Lal

On the fifth day of the 39th Chakradhar Samaroh, Ms. Riti Lal from Raipur gave a beautiful and melodious Kathak performance of dance and expression on the famous song of Amir Khusro, Mose Naina Milai, which captivated the people. The song Chhaap Tilak Sab Chheeni Re Tose Naina Milai has been sung by Anilbhan Bhattacharya and composition has been given by Anurekha Ghosh, Kolkata. Ms. Riti Lal has been awarded many national and international awards. Ms. Riti Lal is a disciple of Mr. Tarun Sharma.

Ms. Anushka Soni

On the fifth day of the musical journey of Raigarh Raja Chakradhar Samaroh, after the completion of the first cycle of the art exhibition, in the second cycle, Ms. Anushka Soni, associated with the Senia Gharana of Jabalpur, gave a melodious presentation of sitar playing. Ms. Anushka Soni is a famous and reputed sitar player of the fourth generation. Ms. Anushka Soni has been receiving musical education from her grandfather Shri Roop Kumar Soni and father since childhood. Shri Roop Kumar Soni is an international sitar player as well as a famous flute player. Ms. Anushka Soni has received many awards and honors including first place in the state level youth festival Gwalior, first place in the art festival organized by the Ministry of Culture, first place in the Bharat Sanskriti Utsav.

Ms. Upasana Bhaskar

Upasana Bhaskar of Dhamtari presented a captivating Kathak dance based on Shiva Stuti. Upasana had learned the nuances of Kathak from Guru Manuraj at the age of just 9 years. Her Kathak dance is mainly based on the love of Radha Krishna. Upasana has displayed her talent on various prestigious art forums of the country. She has been awarded many honours including Natya Nrakshak, Nritya Anubhuti.

Ms. Vidhisen Gupta

Vidhisen Gupta of Shakti district gave a wonderful presentation of Mahishasura Vadh and the panoramic form of Maa Durga through Odissi dance. She gave an excellent presentation of Manav Uddharana (in which Shri Krishna appears to protect the dignity of Draupadi at the time of her disrobing) through her expressions and skillful body movements. Vidhisen Gupta received her primary education in Shakti district and higher education in Guru Ghasidas Kendra University. She received Odissi training from her guru Gajendra Panda. Vidhisen has performed her dance not only in India but also in countries like Singapore and Malaysia.

Ms. Meenakshi Sheshadri

Famous actress and renowned dancer Ms. Meenakshi Sheshadri gave a captivating performance dedicated to Ghungroo. Emotional performance of Panchdev Aradhana in Bharatnatyam style. After twenty years, Ms. Meenakshi Sheshadri started her classical dance journey again from the musical land of Raigarh. Presented Odissi and Bharatnatyam. Today, on the fifth day of the musical journey, at Raja Chakradhar Samaroh, famous actress of the film world and renowned Bharatnatyam dancer Ms. Meenakshi Sheshadri, who came from Mumbai, gave a very beautiful Bharatnatyam performance. After twenty years, Ms. Meenakshi Sheshadri started her classical dance journey again from the musical land of Raigarh. She gave a wonderful performance of Panchdev Aradhana in Bharatnatyam style, which presented an emotional form of the five forms of Gods and Goddesses in the minds of all the people present at the Chakradhar Samaroh. After returning to India from USA, Ms. Meenakshi Sheshadri has performed Bharatnatyam for the first time in the musical world of Raigarh after twenty years. Starting with the praise of Lord Shri Ganesh, she performed a wonderful display of dance and joy, performing the form of Lord Nataraja Shiva, Maa Saraswati, Tandava Rupa of Lord Shiva, the serene, beautiful form of Devi Devi and the form of Maa Chandi along with the form of Lord Shri Krishna and performed the mesmerizing Panchdev Aradhana. Ms. Meenakshi Sheshadri has a distinct identity in her film career as well. She has a special cultural richness apart from the famous film screen. She started learning music and dance in her childhood at the age of three. She is proficient in not one, two or three but four classical forms including Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Odissi and Kuchipudi. She gave a captivating performance of Odissi and Bharatnatyam in the Chakradhar Samaroh today. She has shown her talent in many popular films like Painter Babu, Damini. She has also performed Bharatnatyam on many big stages in the country and abroad. Addressing all the audience at the Raja Chakradhar Samaroh, she said that I am feeling very happy after coming here. There is a very beautiful atmosphere in Raigarh district on the occasion of Raja Chakradhar Samaroh. She said that I am in front of you only because of the blessings of Mother Saraswati. She said that today’s date is very special for her.

Mr. Rakesh Sharma and Mrs. Nisha Sharma

Born in Raigarh, Rakesh started his musical journey in 1996. He displayed his talent on various stages of India and raised the flag of Sufi. Rakesh Sharma got fame from the music competition of Sab TV show. He won the Best Playback Singer Award in the song Abbad Maya Kartho. His research work on Sufi songs is still going on. His wife Mrs. Nisha Sharma is the great granddaughter of Rajaram Guru of the Raigarh royal family and sings Sufi songs along with her husband Mr. Rakesh Sharma.

12/09/2024, Thursday

Shri Anshul Pratap Singh

Today, Bhopal’s famous Tabla player Shri Anshul Pratap Singh filled this melodious evening of music with the beats of his Tabla at the Chakradhar Festival. He expressed Lord Shiva’s Tandava dance on Mount Kailash with the beats of the Tabla. Shri Anshul received his initial learning of Tabla from his grandfather Shri Harishchandra Singh and father Thakur Uday Pratap Singh. Currently, he is taking special training in Tabla playing from his guru Shri Sanjay Sahay. Shri Anshul has displayed his artistic talent at various prestigious platforms in the country and abroad, including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand. He addressed art lovers with his Tabla playing at various events and occasions, including the Taj Festival, Khajuraho Festival. He accompanied world-renowned artists like Mohan Veena player Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, flute player Shri Hariprasad Chaurasia on the Tabla.

Shri Rahul Sharma

Son of the famous Santoor player of the country, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, Shri Rahul Sharma filled the land of Raigarh with the tunes of music in the Chakradhar Samaroh today. Through the tune of Santoor, he introduced art lovers to the Pahari music of Kashmir. Shri Rahul Sharma learned Santoor from his father Shri Shiv Kumar Sharma. Shri Sharma displayed his talent on many platforms in the country and abroad including the Edinburgh Festival. He also introduced his music in Bollywood films. Shri Rahul has accompanied the world famous Tabla player Shri Zakir Hussain on Santoor.

Santoor is a stringed instrument. Its Indian name is ‘Shatatantri Veena’ i.e. Veena with hundred strings, which later got the name Santoor from the Persian language. Santoor is basically a folk instrument of Kashmir and it was used in Sufi music. The credit for establishing it on the world stage goes to Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma.

Ms. Anvita Vishwakarma

Today, on the sixth day of Chakradhar Samaroh, young artist from Raipur, Ms. Anvita Vishwakarma spread the moonlight of fame in the entire Chakradhar Samaroh. Ms. Anvita Vishwakarma gave a very beautiful and melodious Kathak performance of dance and emotion on Ganpati Jagvandan which captivated all the listeners. Ms. Anvita Vishwakarma joined the dance art at the age of just three years. Presently, she has mastered Kathak dance of Lucknow Gharana. She is a disciple of Shri Anurag Thakur. Ms. Anvita Vishwakarma wants to become an IAS officer like her grandfather Shri R.S. Vishwakarma.

Ms. Diksha Ghosh

Today, Raigarh’s daughter Ms. Diksha Ghosh and her team presented the fierce form of Mata Rani and Nari Shakti through Bharatnatyam dance. Ms. Diksha Ghosh is a Bharatnatyam dance teacher in Raigarh. She has received education from Rabindra Bharati University of West Bengal. He has been awarded for his beautiful dance performance in many big cities including Uttarakhand’s Bhagirathi Utsav Puraskar, West Bengal, Odisha, Bhilai, Bilaspur.

Dr. G. Rathis Babu

On the occasion of Chakradhar Samaroh, today, Bhilai’s Dr. G. Rathis Babu’s beautiful expressions and artistry based on Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi won the hearts of all the audience. He along with his team performed on Lord Shri Ganesh, Lord Shri Ram’s worship, Ardhanarishwar etc. Dr. G. Rathis Babu is a panel artist of ICCR and Ministry of Culture. He has imparted education of Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi to a large number of students in Central India.

Indira Kala and Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya Khairagarh

Raigarh/ On the sixth day of the 39th Chakradhar Samaroh, Indira Kala and Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya Khairagarh gave a heart touching and danceable performance of various Chhattisgarhi folk dances based on Chhattisgarhi culture. Due to which all the spectators who reached the venue from far and wide were immersed in various classical arts including Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Flute, Tabla, Santoor, Sitar, Accordion playing, Qawwali, Bhajan, Ghazal as well as folk colours of Chhattisgarh like Karma, Sarhul, Panthi, Gaura-Gauri, Bharthari etc. Indira Kala and Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya Khairagarh is a leading institute in performance and research of fine arts. It is endowed with various activities like art, fashion designing, high level research work etc. This institute is continuously working for the promotion and preservation of folk art. Indira Kala and Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya has active participation in various festivals including Tatapani Mahotsav, Yuva Utsav, Narmada Utsav, Chakradhar Samaroh. Today in Chakradhar Samaroh, various folk arts were performed and directed by the team of Kala Vishwavidyalaya Khairagarh under the guidance of Dr. Yogendra Choubey, Dean, Folk Art Folk Colour (Professor). Dr. Yogendra Chaubey is known for his natural and cultural theatrical style. He has been honored by many institutions for his remarkable contribution to theatre. He also has a keen interest in research and writing work. After PhD, he is actively involved in teaching and learning at Indira Kala and Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya.

13/09/2024, Friday

Shri Hutendra Ishwar Sharma

In the first presentation of the cultural evening today at the 39th Chakradhar Samaroh, the team of local famous artists of Raigarh district-Hutendra Ishwar Sharma presented the traditional culture of Chhattisgarh through songs and group dance. The artists of the team entertained the audience with Dadaria songs including Sua dance based on farming.

Dr. Rakhi Rai

On the seventh day of the 39th Chakradhar Samaroh, in the second presentation of the cultural evening today, local Bharatnatyam artist of Raigarh district Dr. Rakhi Rai along with her team Ms. Nainaika Kasliwal, Srijani Banerjee presented an attractive dance with expressions and postures on the stage. These artists of Raigarh district have proved their talent with Bharatnatyam. Along with making a name for themselves with their performances on Doordarshan, these artists have also earned fame by presenting Bharatnatyam in the country and abroad. The beautiful presentation of Bharatnatyam today at the Chakradhar Samaroh organized at Ramlila Maidan delighted the audience.

Ms. Sharvi Kesharwani

In the prestigious Chakradhar Samaroh 2024 organized in Raigarh, cultural programs are being presented by many well-known world-renowned artists, as well as through this platform, regional and young artists are also being provided a platform to showcase their art, encourage them and promote them. In this sequence, today on the seventh day of Chakradhar Samaroh, thirteen-year-old Kathak Sadhika Ms. Sharvi Kesharwani of Sarangarh presented a captivating dance based on Shiva Panchakshar Stotra composed by Adiguru Shankaracharya. With this captivating performance of hers, the entire Chakradhar Samaroh venue reverberated with the mantra of Om Namah Shivay. In this dance, she presented a heart-touching dance representing the five elements earth, water, fire, air and sky along with Om Namah Shivay. Along with this, she presented a very attractive dance with some tode-tukde, kavitta, paran after some layakaaris with the presentation of Ardhang composed by late Pandit Birju Maharaj. Thirteen-year-old Kathak Sadhika Ms. Sharvi Kesharwani of Sarangarh is a student of class VIII in Mona Modern English Medium School, Sarangarh. She started her initial dance education from her mother Mrs. Toshi Gupta and is currently learning the nuances of dance under the guidance of Guru Dr. Rajshree Namdev at Shriram Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, Raipur.

Kathak Sadhika Ms. Sharvi Kesharwani has been continuously earning many titles and achievements since 2019 by giving captivating performances at many state, national and international levels at such a young age. Ms. Sharvi has given her Kathak performances on more than 50 platforms so far at places like Dubai and Thailand at the international level and Ujjain, Bangalore, Udaipur, Goa, Jabalpur, Raipur, Bhilai, Bilaspur, Mathura, Haridwar etc. at the national level. Ms. Sharvi has received Bangalore Nritya Ojaswi Award in 2019, Gold Award in Thailand, Nritya Sadhika Samman in 2020, Kala Sadhika Samman in 2021, Bal Nritya Kala Shrestha Award in 2022, International Scholarship for performance in Dubai in 2022 and first in Kathak in Dubai, Udit Samman in Haridwar in 2023, besides Kala Abhiyudita Samman. Again, Bal Nritya Kala Shrestha Award in 2023 and Chakradhar Samaroh 2023, followed by Akhand Nupur Naad, Rashtriya Kala Vaibhav Samman, Pranavam Shikhamani Award in 2024.

Shri Lucky Mohanty

Famous dancers of Cuttack, Shri Lucky Mohanty and Vidya Das highlighted the Aarti and Draupadi Cheerharan in Puri’s Jagannath Temple in their Odissi performance. Through his fellow artists, he presented dances in a rhythmic manner with expressions. He also presented the intimate love of Radha-Krishna through Odissi dance.

Ms. Mridusmita Das

The audience coming to the Chakradhar Festival is getting an opportunity to get acquainted with various Indian and regional classical music, dance and other arts. In this sequence, today on the seventh day of Chakradhar Festival, the audience also got an opportunity to see the 500-year-old Assam’s prominent Assamese Sattriya dance through the Chakradhar Festival stage. The couple of Ms. Mridusmita Das and Mr. Rajiv Kumar Das, who arrived from Raipur today, gave a captivating presentation of Assamese Sattriya dance. The presentation of this unique dance made the evening of the seventh day of Chakradhar Festival memorable, which the audience present will never be able to forget.
Assamese Sattriya dance is a beautiful classical dance of Assam. This dance is a complete Indian cultural dance with spirituality and arts. It is usually performed in the cold season in the Northeast. There are seven classical dances in the field of music. Assamese Sattriya dance is included as the 8th classical dance. This dance is dedicated to Vaishnav ideology.

Mrs. Bhadra Sinha and Gayatri Sharma

Mrs. Bhadra Sinha and Gayatri Sharma, who came from Delhi, presented Bharatnatyam dance. Mrs. Bhadra Sinha started learning Bharatnatyam dance from a very young age. But after a decade, she is practicing Bharatnatyam again under the guidance of Guru Krishnamurthy. Today, she presented a captivating dance dedicated to Mother Shakti with strength, determination, compassion.

Ms. Vidya Pradeep

Cochin artist Ms. Vidya Pradeep mesmerized the audience with Mohiniyattam dance. Kerala’s famous semi-classical dance Mohiniyattam is performed in the temples of Kerala. The dancer from Cochin presented Kerala’s folk dance in her unique style.

Padma Shri Dr. Bharati Bandhu

Padma Shri Dr. Bharati Bandhu’s Sufiana singing forced the audience to dance till late night. Bharati Bandhu and his team received a lot of applause by presenting Kabir’s couplets in their own style. The audience appreciated his performance a lot. He delighted the audience with songs like Jara Dheere Dheere Gaadi Haanko…Mere Ram Gaadi Wale…, Mo Se Naina Milaike…Dama Dam Mast Kalandar…

Bharti Bandhu has inherited devotional music. Three generations were with him on the stage and all of them performed together in singing and music. Bharti Bandhu has performed more than 8000 programs in India and abroad till now. Bharti Bandhu has performed in 30 universities and more than 30 districts. He has enthralled more than 10 lakh students from school to university level with his Kabir/Sufi singing. He has been honoured with many national and international awards. In 2013, the Government of India honoured Bharti Bandhu with the Padma Shri award for singing Kabir in a unique style. In 2015, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the world’s best music university Khairagarh. In 2020, he has been awarded the national level Shikhar Samman Chakradhar Samman by the Chhattisgarh government. He has also been awarded the all India level Shikhar Samman Tulsi Samman by the Madhya Pradesh government.

14/09/2024, Saturday

Ms. Ananta Pandey, Shaswati Banerjee

Today, in Chakradhar Samaroh, along with Kathak dance, the dancers also spread fragrance on the stage with their excellent performance. The atmosphere became devotional with the worship of Shiva and Krishna Raas Leela. The little artists mesmerized the audience with their dance skills. Today, on the eighth day of Chakradhar Samaroh, the artists of Raigarh started the program by performing on stage. First of all, Ms. Ananta Pandey and Shaswati Banerjee performed Kathak dance and received a lot of applause. Shaswati Banerjee presented the worship of Shiva in her dance. Under the leadership of Ms. Tabu Parveen, her disciples performed Kathak in a very beautiful form as Krishna Raas Leela. The little artists kept the audience captivated with their beauty. Everyone praised this Raas Leela. All these artists were felicitated by Rajya Sabha MP Shri Devendra Pratap Singh and other guests with shawls, coconuts and souvenirs.

Ms. Krishnabhadra Namboodiri

On the eighth day of the 39th Chakradhar Samaroh, Raipur’s Kathak artist Ms. Sangeeta Kapse, Geetika Chakradhar and Radhika Sharma presented Ramlala’s life philosophy through dance on stage. In the next presentation of the program, Mumbai’s renowned Bharatnatyam artist Ms. Krishnabhadra Namboodiri brought alive the Ganesh Vandana presented in the temples of South India through dance. With the support of the technical team, she presented an attractive Bharatnatyam with expressions.

Ms. Paushaali Chatterjee

Ms. Paushaali Chatterjee of Kolkata gave a beautiful performance of Manipuri dance with her colleagues in attractive costumes. She brought alive the feeling of playing Holi with Radha, Krishna and the gopis. Paushaali Chatterjee presented the child form of Krishna on stage through the scene of Makhan Chori in Manipuri dance. Ms. Chatterjee, along with her colleagues, presented the Mridang playing and hand clapping in a very rhythmic manner. They presented the description of Vrindavan and Dashavatara in dance. Dancer Paushaali was accompanied by her senior disciples- Shriparna Sarkar, Moumita Hazra, Ankita Ghorai and Ratna Majumdar and Tanmana Roy and Suvra Bhowmick, Jhinuk Roy Chakraborty.

Shri Vinod Mishra

Renowned musician Shri Vinod Mishra (Khayal and Thumri Gwalior Gharana) of Satna presented Ragamala and classical singing. He presented songs like Maan Jao Saiyan…Aa Ja Balam Pardesh… in his own style. The audience listened to his performance with rapt attention.

Dr. Raghupatruni Srikanth

The Kuchipudi dancers from Srikakulam presented a wonderful group dance by immersing themselves in the tunes of music. Under the leadership of Dr. Raghupatruni Srikanth, the artists performed Ganpati and Shiv Vandana, marriage ceremony on stage with very fast expressions and forced the audience to keep looking at them. Their dance of Shiv Shakti Upasana was also captivating. The artists who had performed Kuchipudi in the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi also received a lot of applause from the audience.

15/09/2024, Sunday

Ms. Palak Devangan

On the ninth day of the 39th Chakradhar Samaroh, Ms. Palak Devangan of Sarangarh performed a very beautiful and captivating Kathak dance. She performed Kathak dance along with Shiv Vandana.

Pandit Pradeep Kumar Choubey

Pandit Pradeep Kumar Choubey of Raipur performed classical singing today at the 39th Chakradhar Samaroh. He gave an innovative presentation of classical singing in his raga amidst the beats of tabla and the tune of sarangi. His performance made the audience/listeners feel as if they were listening to a great singer.

Ms. Bhumisuta Mishra

In the third presentation of the program, Ms. Bhumisuta Mishra of Raipur performed Odissi dance today. She won the hearts of the audience with her expressions in Odissi dance.

Ms. Vedika Sharan

In the cultural evening, Vedika Sharan of Bilaspur performed an attractive dance with expressions and postures on the stage. Vedika’s beautiful performance of Kathak in Chakradhar Samaroh organized at Ramlila Maidan today delighted the audience. She gave an innovative presentation of her artistic dance to the tune of music. 10-year-old Ms. Vedika Sharan has been adept at Kathak dance since the age of 6. Her guru is Ms. Anjali Thakur (Lucknow Gharana).

Padma Shri Devyani

Padma Shri Devyani, who came from New Delhi, mesmerized the audience with her superb performance of Bharatnatyam on the 9th day of Chakradhar Samaroh. Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Ramdas Athawale felicitated her by presenting a shawl and coconut. It is noteworthy that impressed by the mesmerizing performance of Bharatnatyam in a documentary film by Louise Mela, Paris-born Padma Shri Devyani came to India and received formal training in Bharatnatyam from great gurus Shri K.G. Ilappa Mudaliar and Kalaimamani V.S. Muthuswami Pillai. She imbibed the beauty, rhythm and spiritual devotion of the 3000 year old Bharatanatyam dance style. Devyani ji gave her first performance not on any stage but in a box office hit South Indian film named ‘A Girl from America’. In this film she played the main character of a dancer of Chidambaram temple. Devyani ji’s dedicated devotion towards Bharatanatyam and her sense of dance aesthetics took this dance beyond the borders of India and made it a symbol of harmony, peace and cultural unity in the whole world. Devyani ji, who was honoured with the ‘First Asian Dancer Artist Award in Residence’ for promoting Indian dance and culture in England, has graced the art stages of almost all the major countries of India and the world with her Bharatnatyam anklets, including the birth anniversary of the Queen of Denmark, the United Nations Day celebrations, the Indian Republic celebrations in Germany, prestigious events in France, Germany and Greece, and conducting many dance workshops and international seminars. Devyani ji, who was honoured with the IMM Top Cultural Ambassador Award for Excellence and the National Women Excellence Award, was honoured with the Padma Shri by the President of India for her unique achievements in the field of art. Padma Shri Devyani is renowned as a cultural ambassador of Bharatnatyam in India. She has been honoured with many national and international awards and honours.

Ms. Maya Kulshreshtha

The country’s renowned Kathak dancer Ms. Maya Kulshreshtha, who came from New Delhi to perform at the Chakradhar Festival, won everyone’s heart. She had tied Kathak ghungroos to her feet at the age of 5. After initial education from Guru Mrs. Dr. Monica Shrivas, she received formal education. After MA in Kathak, she also did theater to strengthen her acting skills. Being connected to social concerns, she has also given place to these subjects in her dance. She has received many national and international honors. She has given more than 500 programs in the country and abroad. Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Mr. Ramdas Athawale honored her by giving her a shawl and coconut.

Padma Shri Anuj Sharma

MLA and Padma Shri Mr. Anuj Sharma performed songs with his team on the stage today on the ninth day of the Chakradhar Festival. Starting the song with Guru Vandana, he joined the audience by singing Jasgeet in Chhattisgarhi and received a lot of applause.

16/09/2024, Monday

Ms. Manasi Dutta

The folk culture of Assam came alive today at the Chakradhar Festival. Artists from Mezhankori Megh Mollar Sansthan showcased the rainbow culture of Assam on stage. The audience was mesmerized and enjoyed the folk cultures of Assam. It is worth mentioning that Mezhankori Megh Mollar has successfully organized various cultural events, bringing the socio-ethnic aspects of Assam to the people and reminding people that Assam is more than just what meets the eyes. Mezhankori Meghmollar is a cultural organization, founded in 2016. The organization was founded by Manashi Dutta and Satyajit Borpatrago with the aim of doing something for the folk culture of Assam. Since then, it has turned into a mission to promote and popularize Assamese culture. The organization formed a team of skilled, vibrant youth and performed in various events to popularize Assamese folk culture globally. This organization has trained many artists who have earned name and fame in this field. Mezhankori Meghmollar has performed more than 400 stage shows in Assam. We have also organized many workshops, special sessions and other events to popularize our folk culture among the new generation. He performed with his 19-member team. We got the love of the people by presenting Assamese folk culture, which includes Sattriya dance, Bihu, Missing, Rabha, Karbi, Deori, etc.

Mr. Anil Kumar Gadhwal

On the last day of Chakradhar Samaroh, the traditional Gidi dance presentation of Chhattisgarh received a lot of applause. Lok Shringar Bharti Gidi Nritya Dal from Bilaspur, under the leadership of director Anil Kumar Gadhwal, captivated everyone with a wonderful performance. The audience saw a group Gidi dance after a long time and enjoyed it thoroughly. It is worth mentioning that Gidi folk dance is one of the ancient folk culture of Chhattisgarh state. Which is celebrated on the occasion of Hareli festival. Scholars and elders of Chhattisgarh state believe that Gidi dance is a folk dance more than 2000 years old. Folk artists of Lok Shringar Bharati have revived this dance tradition and are preserving it. Gidi folk dance group has got first place in the National Music and Dance Competition organized in Cuttack district of Odisha state among 215 groups. Similarly, Gidi dance has got first place in the festival organized in Bareilly city of Uttar Pradesh among 200 groups and Gidi dance has got first place in the National Song and Dance, Drama Competition organized in Kolkata city of West Bengal among 195 groups. Till now, Gidi folk dance has been performed by their team in 13 states of India. The most special thing about Gidi dance group is that even in today’s modern era, you will not see even a trace of modernity in this dance group. The names of the folk artists who performed this art are- Dal Pramukh and main singer Anil Kumar Gadhewal, Sanjay Ratre, Mohan Dongre, Ramgopal Kaliyari, Bharat Vastrakar, Faguram Suryavanshi will perform the Gidi dance. Prabhat Banjare, Manoj Mandle, Ghanshyam Ogre, Lakshmi Narayan Mandle, Thaneshwar Khande, Vinod Ratre, Sajit Banjare and Fulchand Ogre will also participate in the Gidi dance.

Kavi Sammelan- Dr. Kumar Vishwas, Padma Shri Dr. Surendra Dubey, Shri Dinesh Bawra, Shri Sudeep Bhola, Ms. Sakshi Tiwari

His Excellency Governor of Chhattisgarh Shri Ramen Deka, who arrived as the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the 39th Chakradhar Samaroh, honored the artists who gave a beautiful presentation of Chhattisgarh’s traditional dance Gidi with shawls, coconuts and mementoes. On this occasion, Finance Minister and local MLA Mr. OP Chaudhary, Lok Sabha MP Mr. Radheshyam Rathia, Rajya Sabha MP Mr. Devendra Pratap Singh, Director Culture Department Mr. Vivek Acharya, Collector Mr. Kartikeya Goyal, Superintendent of Police Mr. Divyang Patel and other public representatives were present.
His Excellency Governor Mr. Ramen Deka, who arrived as the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the 39th Chakradhar Samaroh, honored the famous poet Mr. Kumar Vishwas, Padma Shri Dr. Surendra Dubey, Ms. Sakshi Tiwari, Mr. Sudeep Bhola, Mr. Vinod Daura, who came to recite poetry on the stage, with shawls, Shriphal and mementoes. During this, Governor’s wife Mrs. Rani Deka, Finance Minister and local MLA Mr. OP Chaudhary, other public representatives and Collector-SP etc. were present. Earlier, the poets who came to the Chakradhar Samaroh of Raigarh received a lot of applause from the audience for their presentation and composition. The poets kept the audience engaged with humorous and patriotic presentations.