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Gangadhar Pradhan (10 July 1948 – 10 October 2010) was an eminent Odissi (Orissi) exponent and teacher, who also founded the Konark Natya Mandap in Konark Puri in 1986 and organised several dance festivals in the temple city during his lifetime.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=World News Headlines )〕 Born on July 10, 1948 in a village called Parikula in eastern India's Orissa, he died in the state capital of Bhubaneswar on October 11, 2010, and had several leading dancer-disciples besides top national and international honours to his credit. ==Early life and background== Gangadhar was born on 10 July 1948 to Muralidahr Pradhan and Dwitika Devi, of Parikul, a remote village of Puri, Orissa. Though their third son was born on this day, he neither cried nor moved, making an impression that he was stillborn. The father vowed that if the child survived, he would send the boy to serve their worshipping deity Lord Balunkeshwar for 5 years. The child survives and grows up into a highly mischievous kid. At the age of 3, while travelling in a bullock cart, the boy fell and was injured severely. The father again vows to send the boy for 10 years instead of 5. The boy escapes death a second time. To fulfill the vows, the boy was sent to serve the Lord Balunkeshwar when he was little over five. After that, for 10 years, the boy remained in temple and served Lord Shiva as a devotee. There the boys were taught to do chores, help and obey the seniors, look after the harvest, study and take lessons of dance as a Gotipua dancer. In this dance form, boys dress up like girls to perform. The boy was very fair in colour and with handsome features and he was allowed to grow his hair like girls. He was a quick learner and reproduced his lessions neatly to the entire satisfaction of his teachers. Though only senior boys were allowed to learn Mardal, a musical instrument, this young boy, sneaked out opportunities to play Mardal, when the seniors worked at the paddy fields. The family and teachers of the boy saw promise of a greater personality in him. Thereby they advised him to go out into the world to seek his fortune instead ofbeing engaged in the family profession of agriculture. In July, 1966, the boy arrived in Bhubaneswar and took admission into Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya. Students never got their stipends regularly and even that was barely enough to cover all expenses. Financial support from family was ruled out as most of them were poor and others saw dance and music as a loathsome profession. Thus, they had to both study and earn their keep side by side. Our village lad from Parikul, was serious, obedient and hardworking. He laboured for hours to make himself prominent among other students. His additional talent as a Mardal player made his teachers depend on him in absence of an accompanist. Parents of girl students started inviting him for accompanying their daughters for practice. Gradually he started teaching students privately. While he was in 3rd year, he got an opportunity to play Mardal for the noted dancer Rita Devi and went to Bombay. From there, he started participating in many programmes. He won 1st prize in all Orissa Dance Competition held at Puri. Then came opportunities, in form of Oriya film producers, opera proprietors, theatre managers, who wanted him to direct dance sequences in their plays and films.He finally completed his Nrityacharya degree course in 1971. He received the National Scholarship from Govt. from 1971 to 73. He received national scholarship under Padmabibhusan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. He got extensive training theory from Dhirendranath Pattnaik. Pradhan was married to Smt. Sulochana Pradhan in 1972. By the time he had finished college, he had already established himself among the art lovers of Bhubaneswar. After getting the scholarship he took further two years training in Odissi dance and trained himself in mastering the Mardal. By this he was actively associated with many organisations like Bhubaneswar Kalakendra, Sangeeta of Jatni, Chilika Sangeet Parishad, Balugaon, etc. He directed and choreographed many dance items while directing the annual day events of numerous girls' schools, boys schools, women's colleges, etc. He got involved in Ekamra theatres from 1969. It was then that he found a great patron within Kamala Lochana Mohanty of Ekamra theatres. From 1979-96 he visited various places of world with Padmashree Late Sanjukta Panigrahi to continue 10 years like Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, France, Italy, South America, America, Bangladesh, Israel, Nigeria, Benin, Ivory Coast, Portugal, Spain, Holland. The sole dream that he always had was to start a dance school. In 1973, he started an organisation called 'Natyaloka', drawing help and inspiration from Pt. Raghunath Panigrahi, Late Smt Sanjukta Panigrahi. Then the name was changed to 'Sunati'. Finally in 1975, 'Orissa Dance Academy, the brain child of Gwere conducted. The students and dancers at that time were Krushnapriya Pattjoshi, Saratpriya Pattjoshi, Susmita Mitra, Dipti Sahoo, Digbala Sahoo, Aruna Mohanty, Archana Mohanty, Annapurna Panda, Jaba Dey, Ananya Das, etc. From 1975, Orissa Dance Academy started functioning, unofficially without registration. There were almost 35 students and classes were held thrice a week. For space, he requested B.K. Kanungo, a journalist, through whose intervention classes were shifted to the Sambadika Bhawan, which belonged to the Journalist Association. The budget was meagre. The money earned from programmes and tution fees Pradhan was born. Initially classes was not sufficient enough to make the expenses. Pradhan started neglecting his family, his comfort, his health. He had just one goal, to establish a dance institution, based his dream concept. Dhiren Pattnaik, Secretary of Orissa Sangeet Natak Akademi, extended a helping hand. Orissa Dance Academy was formally registered with Mr. Pattnaik as the President, Bhabani Biswal as the Secretary, Guruji as the Principal and rest of the senior students and musicians as members. In 1978, the golden era of Orissa Dance Academy began with Guru Gangadhar Pradhan and Aruna Mohanty participating in the India festival held in Germany and Belgium. In 1980, students of Orissa Dance Academy, Dipti Sahoo, Saratpriya Pattajoshi, Pagala Swain, Nandita Patnaik and Aruna Mohanty were sent on a cultural delegation by ICCR with Dhiren Pattnaik as the team manager to Portugal, Spain, Holland and Italy. By this time, many talented students of Orissa Dance Academy like Minakshi Behera, Chapala Mishra, Mamata Nayak had started performing. The Sambadika Bhawan had to be abandoned as the journalist association did not want Orissa Dance Academy in their hall. After much trouble, the Academy was relocated. The academy is now one of the premier cultural institutions of India. It has about 300 students and a strong performing unit of about 30 dancers. The students of this academy, under the guidance of Pradhan, continue to give performances both inside India and abroad. Currently, the student contingent includes established artists like Kanduri Charan Behera, Mukti Ghosh, Kasturi Pattnaik, Bichitrananda Swain, Meera Dash, Manoranjan Pradhan, Ramesh Chandra Jena, Bijaya Kumar Dash, Ellora Patnaik, Debraj Pattnaik, Anita Babu, Madusmita Mohanty, Lingaraj Swain, Sheela Mohapatra, Rojalin Mohapatra, Judhisthir Nayak, Pabitra Kumar Pradhan, Lipsa Dash, Y. Asha Kumari, Bijay Kumar Sahoo, Lingaraj Pradhan, Sridutta Bhol, Amulya Ku. Balabantaray, Leema Bhol, Laboni, Shibani and Shalini Pattnaik, Sarba Das, Sonali Mishra, Tanya Raha and Malini Guha, Bharati Devi Giri of Holland, Alexandria Zardine, Sachiko Murakawi and Yumiko Masui. Today it acts as an umbrella organisation for about 33 other cultural organisations both in India and abroad. There are some institutions like Chitralekha Dance Academy Toronto, Centre for World Music San Diego, an institution in Amsterdam, Holland, Sangeeta Nritya Academy-Assam, Purva-Baroda, etc. who are closely associated with Orissa Dance Academy. Apart from composing new choreographies, dance dramas and ballets on Odissi style, folk dance forms of the region are also composed. Performances by the repertoire of the Academy has regaled national and international audience, stretching from remote villages of Orissa to capital cities of the world. Pradhan created history in Orissa when he established Konark Natya Mandap, in 1986. Representing the glorious "Gurukula Parampara" of India, this venue has become the sanctum sanctorum of Orissan art and culture. Built by Pradhan, nestled among the sylvan set up of Arkavihar, the Konark Natya Mandap is a performer's delight. Everyday, classes on Gotipua, Odissi dance, Mardal, Tabla, Odissi vocal, etc. are conducted in its premises. There are three stages, on which the students present their skill and talent. Besides, some primitive art forms like Sankirtan, Paika akhada, Pala, Daskathia, Ramalila, etc. are also being performed on different occasions like Basant Panchami, Jhulan Purnima, etc. To promote Orissan art and culture, Chandrasekhar Kala Mandir was established in 1992, at Parikul, Puri. It was an expression of gratitude to his parental village. Training is imparted in both Odissi and Gotipua facilities to students. It was a sort of cultural revolution that Guru Sri Pradhan brought about, when he started the trend of cultural festivals in Orissa, set on the lines of the famous Khajuraho Dance Festival. The Konark Dance and Music Festival took birth in 1986, at Arkavihar, Konark. From then, it has become an International fete, which forms a platform for dancers, musicians, artists, scholars from every corner of the globe. It is held every year from 19th - 23 February. The Kalinga Kala Utsav began from the inception of the Chandrasekhar KalaMandir, Parikul, Puri about 11 years ago. It is held every year in April. Pradhan has acquired a plot of land, near Dhauligiri, Bhubaneswar. The 1st Dhauli Mahotsavas was held this year from 27 to 29 March. For this effort towards promotion of culture, he was awarded the State Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. The nation too, honoured his endeavour by giving him the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, by the President. He, who is the living portrait of Orissan art and culture, has dreamt of uniting society by social, cultural and spiritual transformation through art, culture and tradition. He aims to establish a cultural triangle with Konark Natya Mandap, Arkavihar, Konark, Chandrasekhar Kalamandir, Chilika vihar, Parikul and Shantivihar, Dhauli giri, at its three corners. The academy has been moving ahead with its noble and dynamic mission, to build worldwide cultural amity and harmony. Creation of the Universal Cultural family, by creating and intensifying the devotional attitude to the art. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Gangadhar Pradhan」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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