Kelucharan Keerti Sampradaya Festival 2020

Kelucharan Keerti Sampradaya Festival 2020 is Guru Shradha's tribute to legendary master, Odissi dancer, musician, and choreographer, Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra.

This year's festival highlight will be the world premiere of Guru Shradha's first production, Panchatantra Tales of Unity in Diversity, choreographed by Guru Ratikant Mohapatra.

In today's world where we see a prevalence of divisiveness, we seek to share the stories of the Panchatantra - an ancient collection of animal fables - as a reminder of the universal values of unity, friendship, compassion, and mutual respect, in the hopes of creating a more peaceful and humane world. Collectively, a society is stronger and more vibrant when we appreciate and accept differences and realize our distinctive qualities, which can empower us to overcome greater obstacles. Since the timeless messages of the Panchatantra are portrayed through the universally relatable characterization of animals, we hope to attract a diverse audience of all ages, including children.

Odissi dance, which has its roots in ancient temple sculptures in eastern India, is characterized by the juxtaposition of fluid torso movements and strong footwork that also give the dance it's unique lyrical grace. Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra is considered one of the founding fathers of Odissi as we know it today. Guru Shradha's festival will feature the late Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra's son, Guru Ratikant Mohapatra who will join Guru Shradha's founder/director, Niharika Mohanty.