Guwahati, November 2: Sur Sangam presented its ‘Festival of Dance and Music 2026’ on November 1 at the Sri Sri Damodar Dev International Auditorium, Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, Guwahati, celebrating India’s rich classical and cultural heritage through an impressive array of dance, music, artistic tributes and felicitations.
The programme commenced with a welcome address by the anchor, followed by the ceremonial lighting of the lamp by Nrityacharya Padmabhushan Jatin Goswami. Students and teachers of Sur Sangam presented the institution’s theme song, with lyrics, tune and music direction by Guru Joy Prakash Medhi. The opening segment also featured a chorus titled ‘Mor Geetor Hejar Shrota’, paying tribute to Bharat Ratna Sudhakantha Dr. Bhupen Hazarika on the occasion of his birth centenary.
A special felicitation ceremony honoured Sangeet Natak Akademi award recipients Sri Bipul Chandra Das, Dr. Mallika Kandali, Bhaskarjyoti Ojah and Smt. Chetana Das. They were felicitated by Hema Prava Devi, President of Sur Sangam, and Gitanjali Bhattacharjya, Vice-President of the organisation.
The festival showcased a diverse range of classical dance presentations, beginning with a Kathak beginners’ group performance of Shuddha Nritya in Teentaal Madhya Laya. Further Kathak presentations included performances in Teentaal and Jhaptaal, a Meera Bai Krishna bhajan presented by Mahita Saikia, and an elaborate presentation of Darbare Salami, Pancham Sawari and Teentaal featuring a group of senior and accomplished dancers.
The Sattriya segment featured ‘Panchabhuta Mangalam’, presented by Kakali Bezbaruah along with Nayantara Bordoloi and Bhaswati Kumari, followed by an abhinaya presentation of ‘Kanaira Kamala Mukh’, based on a Borgeet composed by Sri Sri Madhabdev. Another highlight was ‘Kala Kanu’, a Sattriya Nritya presentation based on a Kaliya Daman Ankiya Naat song composed by Srimanta Sankardev. The Sattriya presentations were choreographed by Kakali Bezbaruah.
The musical segment included ‘Swargam Geet’ in Raga Khamaj and Jhaptaal and Teentaal, along with a Raga Pradhan presentation in Raga Kedar, set to Addha Teentaal, dedicated to the memory of Guru Damodar Bora. The festival also featured ‘Saraswati Vandana’ in Raga Yaman Kalyan and Addha Teentaal, with tune and music direction by Guru Joy Prakash Medhi.
A special tribute to noted singer Gayatri Hazarika was presented through ‘Charana Nepur Dhwani’, a semi-classical dance composition based on lyrics by Dwijendra Mohan Sarma, with vocals by Gayatri Hazarika and music composed by Joy Prakash Medhi. An Odissi dance presentation by Anjanamoyee Saikia and her group added further diversity to the evening.
Other notable presentations included a Shiva Sloka followed by a Tarana in Teentaal and Raga Malkauns, ‘Bijulir Pohar Mur Nai’, a Kathak-based dance presentation by Debarati Choudhury and Sunita Kaushik, and a creative dance performance set to a Rabindra Sangeet sung by Zubeen Garg, featuring Dipsikha Sarkar, Diya Baruah and Payel Debnath. Creative dance presentations by Kakanjit Patowary and his group also formed part of the programme.
The festival brought together accomplished musicians and performers from different disciplines, with instrumental and vocal accompaniment on tabla, violin, sitar, harmonium, flute, pakhawaj and percussion. The accompanying artists included Hrishikesh Sarma, Kaman Gogoi, Jonali Keot Gupta, Joy Prakash Medhi, Debarati Choudhury, Tultul Das, Ipshita Duarah, Bhaskarjyoti Ojah, Shubhankar Hazarika, Gunin Sharma, Tapan Deka and Meghranjani Medhi in Bol Padhant, among others.
The programme also featured a special ‘Dex Bandana’ presentation by Pinku Priyam Bordoloi and Priyanka Bordoloi from Jorhat, adding another cultural dimension to the festival.
Meghranjani Medhi, also, presented few items of Kathak Shuddha Nritya on the occasion.
Add comment