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It
was a truly magical night, when a few days before Christmas
a young couple in Kolkata was blessed with a new baby. They
called her Nilanjana as they gazed fondly at the hazel eyed
miracle. It was sheer chance that the parents happened to
see an Odissi recital a few years later. They were in
raptures that evening and knew instantly what they wanted
for their precious daughter. When the family moved to Delhi,
Nilanjana took her first steps toward a lifelong journey
under the tutelage of the renowned Odissi revivalist, Guru
Mayadhar Raut. Like a young sapling thirsty for water,
Nilanjana soaked up all the skills and knowledge her Guru
could offer. She showed unusual dedication for one so young.
This would be her signature trait as marriage and motherhood
propelled her towards a bigger world, away from her parents
and all she had known. |
