Bhubaneswar: The birth centenary of Padma Vibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra represents a profound intersection of historical restoration and contemporary state-led cultural advocacy.
Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, alongside Minister of Odia Language, Literature, and Culture Shri Suryabanshi Suraj, convened at the Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre to formalize the state’s moral urgency in preserving the Odia artistic identity.
Upon arrival, the Chief Minister was received by Dr. Bijay Ketan Upadhyaya, Secretary of Odia Language, Literature, and Culture, signaling a high-level administrative commitment to this systemic synthesis of heritage.
The narrative of Odissi’s evolution is defined by a layered causality rooted in the life of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. Historically, the dance form faced structural decline until the Guru’s rigorous intervention provided the necessary socio-legal and aesthetic scaffolding for its survival.
By synthesizing the distinct lineages of the Mahari temple service and the Gotipua folk tradition, he constructed a cohesive classical framework. Central to this reconstruction was the philosophy of Lord Jagannatha, which serves as the spiritual and ethical anchor of the art form. This integration ensured that Odissi transitioned from the peripheries of cultural neglect to a position of global eminence.
Governmental participation in this centenary underscores a broader institutional strategy to treat cultural heritage as protected intellectual and social property.
The Chief Minister’s proclamation identified the Guru Kelucharan as the confluence of language and tradition, suggesting that the preservation of Odissi is inseparable from the preservation of the Odia soul.
By institutionalizing the maestro’s legacy through the Department of Odia Language, Literature, and Culture, the state acknowledges the necessity of safeguarding the rhythmic and philosophical tenets that define Odisha’s place in the global cultural hierarchy.
Dr. Bijay Ketan Upadhyaya, Secretary of Odia Language, Literature, and Culture and his team coordinated the entire magnificent show, which attracted large footfall.