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The classical dance style of Orissa - the land of
temples, the land of sculptures. The flowing movements and graceful poses
of the dance bring to mind the breathtaking beauty of Orissa's temple sculptures.
Whether the chiseled beauty of the temple sculptures inspire the dance, or
the sculptures depict the dance is a conundrum. Tribhangi - the three -
bend body position relating to Lord Krishna and Chowka - the square posture
relating to Lord Jagganath along with many other graceful postures blended
together can be seen hewn on the temple stones or executed exquisitely by
the dancers. The dance is sculpture in movement and sculpture is frozen
dance. Both are an infinite source of joy and wonderment. Add to this the
Odissi music - in lilt and lyricism second to none. A harmonious blend of
the chaste discipline of Carnatic music and the joyous abandon of the folk
music of the east, and one has a spell - binding aesthetic experience.
Odissi like all other classical dance styles of India
has its roots in the temple. In fact all forms of Indian art have their
roots in religion. Indian art is a spontaneous expression of sincere
devotion to God. The artiste in his devotion is united with the Almighty
and feels himself as one complete whole.
Orissa evokes the name of Lord Jagganath - the Lord of
the universe. It is a place of pilgrimage and for several centuries has
nurtured a culture of devotion. The myths and legends woven around Lord
Jaggannath provide a fascinating mythology. Various rituals have been
connected with the temple and the worship of Lord Jagganath, dance being
one of them. In the different forms of bhakti (devotion), dance and music
have enjoyed equal importance. The Odissi dance, its growth, development,
support, and existence have been inseparably linked with temple rituals.
Odissi may claim to be the earliest classical dance
style of India on the basis of archeological evidence - the most
outstanding being the Rani Gumpha caves (Udaygiri, Orissa) of the second
century BC. These are the very first specimens of a dance scene with full
orchestration found in sculptures of that historical period. Scholars have
dated these caves to be earlier than the writings of Bharata's
Natyashastra, in which Odissi is mentioned as the peculiar style from south
eastern India called Odra Magadhi.
Whatever mention Odissi has in caves and treatises, the
living tradition of the Odissi dance form has been kept up by the Maharis
and the Gotipuas. Maharis are the devadasis from Orissa. ‘Mahan’ – ‘Nari’
or ‘Mahri’ are - the great one, chosen one for the seva or service to the
Lord. The Maharis would sing and dance for the Deity. That was their seva
to the Lord. The Maharis performed dance sequences based on the lyrics of
the Geet Govind of poet Jayadev. Before the time of Jayadev, the Maharis
performed mainly nritta (pure dance) and abhinaya based on mantras &
shlokas.
Various reasons are attributed to the discontinuance of
the Mahari tradition of dance and the emergence of the Gotipua tradition.
Gotipuas were young boys dressed as girls and made to dance. They were
taught the dance by the Maharis. The Maharis themselves never performed
outside the precincts of the temple. It was always inside the temple. In
fact there were two clans of Maharis - the bhitari gauni Maharis, who would
reach the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and bahari gauni Maharis who
would be in the temples but outside the sanctum sanctorum. But once the
Gotipuas - these young boys were taught the dance, it stepped out of the
precincts of the temples. 0ne of the reasons given for the emergence of
Gotipuas is, that the Vaishnavites did not approve of dancing by women.
During this period, Vaishnav poets composed innumerable lyrics in
dedication to Radha and Krishna. Gotipuas danced to these compositions.
Hence even to this day one sees that the Odissi repertoire is full of
ashtapadis from Jayadeva's Geet Govind (performed by Maharis) and songs on
Radha & Krishna by Oriya poets (performed by Gotipua). There is a
discerning difference when an ashtapadi is performed with a smooth
transition from one movement to the other as opposed to the slightly jerky
movement when an Oriya lyric is performed.
Most of the present day Gurus themselves have been
Gotipua dancers, and in their turn passed on the dance form to dancers and
teachers all over India and abroad. From the precincts of the village
temple to the metropolitan theatre is quite some distance. Odissi has
successfully and meaningfully spanned it. The Maharis and Gotipuas are
still gratefully remembered, but today it is the great Gurus coming from
the same tradition that guide the destiny of Odissi. They have created a
generation of highly talented dancers who have ensured the continuity of
the dance form with an awareness and enriched consciousness, not by merely
repeating what is handed down to them, but by creating and offering an
aesthetic experience that carries the dance to greater heights. It is
through the performers and teachers that the art draws its sustenance and
continuity. Their number is ever increasing.
It was in the early fifties that the outside world took
serious note of Odissi. It was Priyambada Mohanty who represented Orissa in
the classical dance category at an Inter University Youth Festival. Dr
Charles Fabri hailed Odissi as a great dance form. He helped Indrani Rehman
study the dance form and the initial credit for bringing Odissi to the
international scene goes to this great dancer.
With Gurus like late Padmavibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra,
late Guru Pankaj Charan Das, late Guru Deb Prasad Das, Guru Mayadhar Raut
and dancers like Late Sanjukuta Panigrahi, Kum Kum Mohanty, Sonal Mansingh,
Madhavi Mudgal and Late Protima Gauri, the propagation of Odissi is in full
swing.
In recent years a number of institutions and individuals
in India and abroad are imparting training in this dance form. On the whole
the Odissi dance scene today is pulsating, having crossed the national
frontiers it has become part of the international scene.
Additional resources
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