Hyderabad, Jan 31: The fourth edition of Ramayana Kalpavrksham commenced on the evening of 30th January 2026 with an inauguration by chief guest Dr. Sandhya Purecha, Chairperson of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, at the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training Hyderabad. Dr. Jalachari Ella and Sri Pamidighantan Raghuram, the guests of honour, graced the occasion with their presence. The chief guest as well as the guests of honour gave concise yet powerful speeches on the relevance of the Ramayana and the need to immerse in it. The opening ceremony set the tone for the festival, celebrating the living traditions of the Ramayana through classical arts and scholarly depth.
The inaugural evening featured a poignant Odissi duet titled Seeta Haran, presented by Dr. Sujata Mohapatra and Preetisha Mohapatra. The performance began with Laxman guarding the Panchavati forest followed by the depiction of the love play between Ram and Sita. The mother daughter duo brought to the stage a rare synergy, blending grace, emotional depth, and technical precision while they seamlessly played multiple characters. The evocative lighting design by Debiprasad Mishra subtly enhanced the visual appeal of the performance.
A distinguished exponent of Odissi, Dr. Sujata Mohapatra disciple and daughter-in-law of the legendary late Guru Padma Vibhushan Kelucharan Mohapatra has performed extensively across India and internationally, earning widespread acclaim and numerous prestigious awards.
Preetisha Mohapatra, who began her formal training at an early age under her grandfather late Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and later under her parents Guru Ratikant Mohapatra and Dr. Sujata Mohapatra, demonstrated remarkable maturity and finesse, continuing the legacy of the Kelucharan Mohapatra Gharana with distinction.
The evening concluded with a melodious Carnatic vocal concert by Sandeep Narayan who was accompanied by H.N.Bhaskar on the violin, K.V. Prasad on the mridangam and K.V. Gopalakrishnan on the kanjira. Known for his melodious voice, emotive expression, and mastery over intricate musical forms, he encaptivated the audience with a performance that seamlessly balanced classical rigor and contemporary sensibilities. He sang compositions from various ragams that complemented each other and gave the audience and immersive experience of Rama Rasa
In 2025, Sandeep Narayan was invited to become a GRAMMY Voting Member of The Recording Academy, a rare and exceptional recognition. His talent has been recognized across India and the world and he has received the “Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar” from the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Government of India; “Isai Peroli” from Kartik Fine Arts, Chennai, and “Shanmukha Sangeetha Shiromani” from Sri Shanmukhananda Sangeetha Sabha, Mumbai. Adding to his honors, he was named “Artiste of the Year” in 2024 by the Shrinivas Institute of World Music, in tribute to the legendary Mandolin Shrinivas.