Punjab’s ‘Gatka’ leaves audience spellbound

The third evening of 9th Dhauli Kalinga Mahotsav took off to a spectacular start after observing a minute’s silence in memory of Sitar Maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar, who died in San Diego, California, on Wednesday morning.

The cultural evening started with a musical orchestration, Mahodadhi by Badya Banee, a Bhubaneswar-based organisation. The music was composed by Guru Ramahari Das. It was followed by a Odissi performance by artistes of Odissi Vision and Movement Centre from Kolkata led by danseuse Sharmila Biswas.

The evening concluded with an energetic martial art -- Gatka -- by the artistes of Saheed Baba Deep Singh Ji Gatka Academy, Chandigarh. The troupe was led by Gurpreet Singh Khalsa. The acrobatic movements with the different traditional weapons displayed by the artistes left the audience stunned.

Among others, former Vice Chancellor of Sambalpur University and eminent dancer Prof. Priyambada Mohanty Hejmadi, CGM of SBI, Bhubaneswar, Praveen Gupta and heart specialist and scholar Kabi Prasad Mishra were present.