Behera H K

🪔 About

Guru Harekrushna Behera, a distinguished Indian classical dance figure, was born in 1931 in Buani village, Balasore District, Orissa (now Odisha). His early fascination with dance led him to join 'akhada' parties at the age of six. He received his initial training in Odissi, specifically the Gotipua and Mahari styles, from gurus Shri Ramhari Behera, Shri Shriram Chandra Dey, and Shri Ramchandra Mahapatra. He also delved into Odissi music, learning Champu, Chhanda Tabla, Bhajan, and Chhota Khayal. Behera began his teaching career in 1952 at the Nrutya Sangeet Kala Mandir in Balasore. In 1957, he furthered his Odissi studies at Kala Vikash Kendra under the tutelage of eminent gurus like Kelucharan Mohapatra and Mayadhar Raut. He was instrumental in bringing Odissi beyond the geographical boundaries of Odisha, moving to New Delhi in the early 1960s where he became one of the first gurus to popularize the dance form. During his time in Delhi, he established Nritya Niketan, considered the first Odissi school in the capital. In 1964, Behera received scholarships from the Sangeet Natak Akademi (Orissa) and the Cultural Department, Government of India, to learn Kathak from Pandit Birju Maharaj. Concurrently, he trained in Pakhawaj under Shri Purushottam Das and Thumri under Smt Sidheswari Devi. He taught at Gandharva Mahavidyalaya from 1971 to 1979. Driven by a desire to establish his own teaching institution, he founded "Odissi Kendra" in 1976, which was formally registered in 1981 in New Delhi. Guru Behera was a prolific choreographer, creating numerous new compositions in Pallavi, Abhinaya, Tandav, and Mangalacharan, and choreographing dance dramas that blended classical Odissi with folk forms. He passed away on June 24, 2012, in New Delhi at the age of 81. Awards & Honours: All India Critic's Award (1981), Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1983), Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2003), Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award.