Guru
Harekrishna Behra was trained in gotipua from the
tender age of eight by Ramahari Behra. Like his other
contemporaries, he too joined a Jatra party and
toured all over Orissa, performing and learning
various aspects of theatre. From Ram Chandra Dey, he
took lessons in music and other traditional dance
styles. In 1957 he joined Kala Vikash Kendra, Cuttack
and was trained in Odissi by Guru Mayadhar Raut and
Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra.
In
1971, Harekrishna joined the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya
where he taught Odissi to several dancers including
Madhavi Mudgal, Smruti Mehta and others.
