Oct 08 2025 to Oct 08 2025 7 p.m.

Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

When movement whispers and stillness breathes, something enduring is set in motion.

On our next evening of Dual Margam, two distinct classical traditions return in dialogue – the lyrical subtlety of Manipuri from Manipur and the architectural elegance of Odissi from Odisha.

Manipuri, in its feminine form, is marked by circular motion, understated footwork, and an inward quietude that evokes devotion and tenderness. Odissi, by contrast, is shaped through defined stances and sculpted transitions, where each turn of the body becomes an offering of story and song.

This performance brings together two women dancers in the Odissi–Manipuri conversation, setting two vocabularies side by side: one fluid and veiled, the other precise and chiselled.

The second in a two-part Odissi–Manipuri dialogue, this evening unfolds through the feminine body, following last month’s exploration by two male dancers.

The Dual Margam series curates two classical dance forms of India to highlight their similarities and differences. The solo performances honour traditional repertoire (the Margam), while the duet will juxtapose each unique form with another.

Supported by:

Artistes

Meghna Das
Odissi
Meghna started formal training in Odissi under her mother and Guru, Smt. Sahana Das at the age of 5, at the Bhaskar Arts Academy in Singapore. When her family returned to India, she continued her training at Nrityagram, under the careful and rigorous training of the senior dancers there. She completed her Rangapravesh in 2012, and soon after was graded with Doordarshan, became a performing artist at the Karnataka ICCR, and finished her Visharad under Pracheen Kala Kendra. She performed as a senior ensemble member of the Nrityantar Dance Ensemble under the guidance and direction of Guru Smt. Madhulita Mohapatra, with whom she performed at iconic festivals like Mahari, Dhauli, Mukteshwar, and the coveted Konark festival. Today, she continues her training under Guru Bijayini Sathpathy, further crafting and strengthening a lifelong passion for Odissi.

As a soloist and choreographer, Meghna has produced a series of full-length productions since 2015 – Anamika, Ayam, Samam, and Neelachal. She has also collaborated with practitioners of a diverse range of other art forms, including Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Mohiniattam, Manipuri, Ballet, Butoh, and contemporary dance. She currently teaches intermediate and senior students of Odissi in India and abroad, developing her own pedagogy that brings the best of traditional training systems to modern life.

In her daily life, Meghna is also a Communications Strategist, specialising in social impact and technology for governments. She is a published author, design enthusiast, and avid traveller, and has greatly enjoyed taking Odissi to distant corners of the world.

Ivana Sarkar
Manipuri
Born and brought up in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, Ivana Sarkar started learning Manipuri dance under the tutelage of Smt. Jhinuk Chakraborty from a very tender age. She is doing advanced training under the guidance of Guru Smt. Guru Kalavati Devi and her daughter Smt. Bimbavati Devi from the past 10 years.

Being a performing artiste of Manipuri Nartanalaya, a Pioneer Institute of Manipuri Dance founded by Lt. Guru Bipin Singh, Guru Kalavati Devi and the Jhaveri sisters she has performed in various festivals and programmes in India and abroad.As a solo artist she has extensively performed in many festivals.

She has performed in Bangladesh, Fiji, and Germany with Manipuri Nartanalaya. An empanelled artist with EZCC and SPICMACAY, she has been honoured with the Nritya Koumudhi award by the Visakha Arts and Dance Association, Visakhapatnam, and is also a recipient of the Junior National Fellowship.