Several dancers and musicians hailing from various parts of the country performed at the prestigious Girnar Festival of music and dance (2021-22), organized by Patel Cultural Foundation  at the Shamaldas Gandhi hall in Junagadh(Gujarat).

The festival commenced on 5th January and concluded on 9th January. One of the most vivacious performers of the festival was Odissi exponent Aarya Nande from Sarangarh (Chhattisgarh).

Tall, slim and blessed with large expressive eyes, Aarya Nande was undoubtedly one of the most impressive performers of the festival. Aarya says "I started learning dance from my mother Vinita Nande at a tender age and soon started performing thereafter. One of the prestigious festivals I performed quite early in my life was the Chakradhar festival, incidentally in the same festival, one of the leading Odissi exponents of Orissa, Guru Gajendra Panda, also performed along with Tridhara group of dancers. My mother was quite impressed by the mentor and his group presentation and decided that I must seek advanced training in Odissi style under the expert guidance of Guru Gajendra Panda. Later I became one of the leading dancers of the Tridhara group and ever since I have had the privilege of performing for some of the most prestigious dance festivals across the country and abroad too"

Presently studying for final year BA, Aarya is the talented daughter of Ravindra and Vinita Nande and is quite fortunate to receive consistent encouragement from her parents at all level, Infact her father takes active interest in the planning and fixing as to which festival she should perform and advises accordingly.

Aarya says "I am happy my parents take active interest in my performances and in most of the shows, they travel along with me so there is no reason for me to worry about anything" When asked as to how and when she decided to become a professional dancer, Aarya said "I haven’t decided anything and nothing is planned, everything happens with the grace of Lord Jagannath, I have become a professional dancer and have also established my dance academy in 2019 known as "Nritya  Sreedhara", I performed with my troupe winning instant appreciation".

Aarya has the typical personality of a fine Odissi dancer and with little more concern over the aesthetics, pertaining to the style of presentation, she can really rise on to become one of the best performers of the country. Whether it was the pure dance Pallavi or expressional dance, at the event, Aarya danced with comfortable ease and confidence. In the Odiya composition, pertaining to the varied facets and episodes of Lord Krishna as the savior and protector of mankind, Aarya particularly scored well in the dramatic portrayals of "Draupadi cheerharan", game of dice between Kauravas and Pandavas and "Gajendra Moksham". Aarya was powerful in the portrayal of Durga in the number depicting the power and glory of the goddess of benevolence and vitality, projecting the philosophy of the victory over evil and tussle with "adharma".

Asking about her future aspirations, Aarya said "Since childhood I have been involved with dancing and want to take dance to another higher level as a professional dancer, so I have no plans of marriage at the moment and If I get married, I will make sure that he should promote and understand my devotion for dance, I would not like to get married to a person who does not respect my divine art form and myself".

Aarya has a bright future provided she dances with the same amount of zeal and enthusiasm. Aarya is also expected to perform in the forthcoming prestigious Khajuraho festival to be held from 20^th to the 26^th February along with the Tridhara group of dancers led by her mentor.

By Guru Vijay Shankar

Guru Vijay Shankar was part of the media team who attended the Girnar Music and Dance Festival on the invitation by the Patel Cultural Foundation.