BY PRATIMA ACHREKAR | NT NETWORK
For two years now, the India International Rural Cultural Centre, New Delhi and Kala Academy-Goa have been organising ‘Pravah’- a music and dance festival. This year it will be held on September 4. A fruitful stage for fresh talent, students of various art forms come together to watch professionals perform. Aficionados of classical dance and song make it a point to attend it.

Member secretary of Kala Academy, Dr Padurang Phaldessai informed, “Every year we invite artistes to perform at this 2-day IRCEN festival titled ‘Pravah’. Our motive is to create awareness among the audience about our rich culture and foster a love for them among the younger generation.”
The main highlight of the programme will be Pandit Birju Maharaj’s son, Deepak Maharaj and daughter, Mamta Maharaj who will be performing on day one of the festival, for the first time in Goa. The co-artistes will be Ajay Raman, Tanima Mehra, Neha Purohit and Rashmi Chetan. 
On September 5 at 6.30 p.m., there will be an Odissi dance performance choreographed by Padmashri Dr Ileana Citaristi. The co-artists will be Pallavi Beriha, Minati Mohapatra, Sagarika Mohanty and Saswat Joshi.
“Padmashri Ileana Citaristi had come down to Goa twice. She is a highly sought after dancer,” informed Dr Phaldessai who further went on to say, “Depending on the time availability of these artistes, perhaps a workshop could be the offing.”
1) Mamta Maharaj (Kathak Danseuse): Mamta Maharaj has taught this dance form for 18 years and presently works in Kalashram, an organisation founded by Pt Birju Maharaj. She has given several solo performances in India and abroad namely USA, Canada, France, Germany, Holland, Australia, China etc. She has participated in numerous dance ballet choreographed by Pt Birju Maharaj in important characters namely Krishnayan, Katha Raghunath Ki, Kumar Sambhav, Shan-e-Awadh, Meera Rangranchi, Holi Dhum Machori, Rupmati Baazbahadur. Besides, she has also conducted workshops in India as well as overseas. She has to her credit choreographed dance sequences in films. She was conferred with the Yuva Mahotsav award by Sahitya Kala Parishad in 1989.
2) Deepak Maharaj (Kathak Danseuse): Deepak Maharaj was born in the illustrious family of the Kalka-Bindadin Gharana. He received his training from a very tender age from his father, the renowned Kathak maestro Pt Birju Maharaj. He has performed leading roles in dance dramas choreographed by Maharaj ji, most notable amongst them Krishnayan, Kumar  Sambhav, Katha Raghunath Ki, Rupmati-Bajbhadur, Shan-e-Awadh etc. He was awarded the Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini award from the All India National Unity Conference in 2006, New Delhi and the Yuva Darpan award on the occasion of International Youth Day in 2007
3) Padmashri Dr Ileana Citaristi (Odissi Danseuse): Padmashri Dr Ileana Citaristi is an Italian by birth. She took to Indian dance after years of experience in the traditional as well as experienmental theatre in Europe. Ileana has been living in Orissa, India since 1979 in close contact with the people, their language and culture. Her mentor in the Odissi dance style is the renowned Guru, Padma Vibhushan, Kelucharan Mohapatra. She has given performances in all the major dance festivals in India as well as in Italy, Argentina, Poland, France, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Hong Kong, Japan, USA, Australia and Israel. Her innovative choreographies in Mayurbhanji Chhau include the Greek myth ‘Echo and Narcissus’ which was a revelation at the East-West dance encounter held in Bombay in April 1985, ‘The Wreck’ (December 1988), ‘Icarus’ (July 1991), ‘Surya devata’ (December 2001), ‘Jarjara’ (January 2003), ‘Still I rise’ (February 2005), etc. An ‘A’ Grade artist from Cuttack Television, Ileana has been awarded the prestigious title ‘Leonide Massine for the art of dance’ in Italy in September 1992.
(The inauguration will be held on September 4 at 6.30 p.m. at Dinanth Mangueshkar Kala Mandir, Kala Academy--Goa. Programme is open to all and is based on first cum first serve basis.)