Balasore, November 29 (Odisha.in) Jajabara, mana mora simahina asha mora…niti gadhe, niti bhange, swapnara, bali ghara, jajabara…jajabara – the most popular number of legendary singer Akshay Mohanty got a big applause at a musical programme in Balasore.
“Akshay Smruti Sandhya”, the live in concert organised by “Smrutire Aama Akshay” (SAA), a local organization, as a tribute to legendary Oriya music director, singer and lyricist Akshay Mohanty, was a revelation of sorts.
During his life Mohanty, popularly known as Khoka bhai had composed more than a thousand songs and penned hundreds of evergreen Oriya numbers. On his memory the organization has been organizing such a huge programme since last five years.
The Sunday evening was a great experience for eminent lyricist Debadas Chhotray, retired bureaucrat and now vice-chancellor of Revenshaw University, who was here to receive the “Akshay Samman – 2007”.
“Here in Balasore I am feeing proud to receive the award. I have never thought that the people of the coastal district love Khoka bhai so much. Really it is my pleasure to be a part of the programme here,” Chhotray said.
He got emotional when he received the felicitation from his own student, now DIG (eastern range) Bishnu Prasad Mohapatra. The VC has in fact has penned a number of songs for Mohanty.
In the midst of pleasant smell of diyas and incense sticks when the playback singers like Geeta Patnaik, Bibhu Das, Amarendra Mohanty, Shailabhama and Susmita Das ambled on to the stage, an ecstatic crowd went into ruptures.
Before the chill wind of the winter evening could capture at least three thousand audiences present there the mesmeric spell of Amarendra Mohanty, Bibhu Das, Shilabhama, Chitrabhanu and Susmita mellowed them down.
There was Prasanta Muduli, who has the voice ditto Akshay Mohanty. He held the audience, who braved the chill winter, in thrall. Easy going and communicative, Chitrabhanu, son of Akshay was clearly the master of the show. He performed most of the famous and popular numbers of Akshay that rocks the music industry even today.
Then queen of modern Oriya album songs and playback singer Shailabhama took over the proceedings with her unique style of singing. On the other hand Susmita drew wild applause for popular song “Phur kina udigala bani” and thereafter there was no stopping her.
12 audio CDs having 480 songs of Akshay Mohanty also were released on this occasion..
However, with the responses from the audiences, the organizers have decided to continue the event in the years to come. “Akshay had first started orchestra in Oriya and from Balasore itself he started his orchestra career. So he was a true lover of Balesore,” said president of the organization Dr Santanu Das.
“In 2002 when we first organized the event just for his remembrance, never had thought that it will be continued. Now the feedbacks from the audiences have compelled us to continue,” said Chief patrons of SAA Atmaram Mohapatra and Prasanta Das.
Odisha.in