Odissi Today

Odissi Today

Odissi

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.
Odissi Today
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 sexpulsating, having crossed the national frontiers it has become part of the international scene.

Dance vocabulary and repertoire
The two main postures used in Odissi are the tribhangi and chaukha. Tribhangi (literally: three parts break) is a three-body-bend in essence, and is very feminine in nature. It is it relates to the poses of Lord Krishna. The chaukha of Odissi is comparable with the araimandalam used in Bharatanatyam, except that chaukha is essentially wider than araimandalam. It is the masculine aspect of Odissi and is said to be derived from Lord Jagannath's idol at the temple in Puri.

A traditional Odissi repertoire consists of:

Mangalacharan: An invocational piece. After paying homage to Lord Jagganath, the reigning deity of Orissa, a sloka (hymn) in praise of some God or Goddess is sung, the meaning of which is brought out through dance. Mangalacharan also includes the ‘bhumi pranam’, begging forgiveness of mother earth for stamping on her, and the ‘trikhandi pranam’, a threefold salutation, above the head to the Gods, in front of the face to all the gurus (teachers) and in front of the chest to the respected audience.

Battu Nrutya: A dance piece offered to the Lord of dance - Lord Shiva in his ‘Batuka Bhairava’ form. This piece brings out the essence of Odissi.

Pallavi: A pure dance item for which there are no meaningful words sung, but a particular raga (musical melody) is elaborated through eye movements, beautiful body postures & intricate footwork.

Abhinaya: Through hand gestures (the language of Indian classical dance), facial expressions and body movements (mime) the meaning of a poetic piece is brought forth & conveyed to the audience. It is telling a story without using the spoken word. Abhinay in Odissi are set to Oriya poetry by famous poets like Banamali, Upendra Bhanja, Kavi surya Baladev Ratha, or to the Ashtapadis from Jayadeva's Geetgovind.

Dashavataar: A dance piece describing the ten incarnations of the Lord. The verses are taken from the Geetgovind.

Moksha: A pure dance item with only the mardal-pakhawaj (percussion) accompaniment - the dance of liberation.

One may feel that the repertoire of an Odissi performance is limited. But it is abundant. There are various items of Mangalacharan, Pallavi, and Abhinaya depending on the hymn, raaga or poem chosen.

Source: gloriousindia.org

Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra

Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra
Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra is a master and a legend in his chosen field, with a name now synonymous with Orissi dance throughout the world. Born in a family of citrakaras or painters, he paints a dancer on to her background.

Born in Raghurajpur on August 1, 1925, young Kelucharan loved the jatras, open air roving theatres of Orissa. His father, a khola (drum) player in these theatres, instilled in him the love of rhythm. The sound of the drums, in harmony with the universe around him, the stars, the fields, the land of Orissa fascinated the child. He also watched closely and imitated the akhadapilas (boys of the gymnasia) as they danced, and he drummed out the rhythm of the mardala on the sides of his buttocks. Painting (the frozen images), rhythm, and movement were to remain the hallmarks of his creations.

Unable to dissuade Kelucharan from indulging in the effeminate art of gotipua dancing, his father allowed him to train under Balabhadra Sahu and finally abandoned him to Guru Sri Mohan Sundar Goswami and his Rasa party. The surrogate father was to become the model in Kelucharan's later relationship with his own students. At the theatre party, Kelucharan learnt not only the arts of acting, singing, and dancing, but also stagecraft, make-up, and choreography. Above all, he trained in both the mardala and the tabla under masters. The theatre group toured six to seven months of the year and rehearsed the remaining months.

When the boy finally left the Rasa theatre party after twelve years, he eked out a living by rolling bidis (indigenous cigarettes), watering betel groves, and carrying sand. Life was eased when he joined Kavichandra Kali Chandra Pattnaik's Annapurna Theatre in Cuttack and earned Rs.7 a month setting the stage, acting occasionally and playing percussion, under Harihar Rao. He trained in khola from Agadhu Moharana and in tabla from Kshetramohan Kar and Harihar Rao. He also learnt Uday Shankar's dance techniques and the use of hand gestures from Guru Dayal Saran.

Life continued evenly for the young man and the dance of Orissa until the major breakthrough with the staging of Vasmasura, created by Guru Pankaj Charan Das. As Siva, Kelucharan was an instant hit. After a few more dance dramas, the young dancer left with Laxmi Priya for Puri, trained and researched some more, to return to Cuttack at the age of 30 as a dance teacher at Kala Vikash Kendra. He remained there for fifteen years, laying the foundation of what is now known as Orissi dance.

With the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1966, the title of Padmashree in January 1972, honorary doctorate in January 1982, the Padma Bhushan and the Kalidas Samman in 1989, Kelucharan was finally on the road to fame, from rolling bidis to becoming a legend in his own time, at home and abroad. The most prolific choreographer, Guru Kelucharan worked on some of his masterpieces with Pandit Bhubaneswar Misra as his music composer. The demands for his dances also led to the establishment of training centres in Delhi, Calcutta, and Bombay.

Orissi has come into its own, and it is the guru's job now to translate his movements to paper at the Orissi Research Wing. The Odissi Path Finder has already been published, both in Oriya and in English. His art has come full circle, and often the visual artist in him takes over, transforming the notations into works of art, sometimes to the frustration of his one-time student, now boss, Dr. Kumkum Mohanty.

His primary claim to fame in dance creation lies in his pallavis (flowering of Orissi). The unfolding of the dance through the coming to life of the sculptures in various ragas (melodic moods) with intricate rhythmical patterns is remarkable. He has created pallavis for each of his dance students like a master artist flirting with his artistic creation. Kumkum Mohanty recalls the guru and Pandit Bhubaneswar Misra "in days gone by" working late into the night at her father's house creating pallavis with Kelucharan composing rhythm patterns on the mardala and Pandit Misra composing music on the harmonium (similar to an accordion). Her job she recalls was to remember the compositions so that they would not have to start from scratch the next night. She served as their human tape recorder. The team worked miracles with subjects like Sanjukta and Kumkum. Today the creations have become even more complex and long.


The doyen of Odissi, Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra was born on January 8, 1926 in Raghurajpur, Orissa. Kelucharan was a precocious child, he learnt to paint, sculpt and play the Khol drum at a very early age. He joined Gotipua troupes and folk theater groups when he was just nine.

He was totally immersed in Odissi. He resurrected odissi when it was at the verge of extinction. In 1994 he set up an organisation, 'Srjan' to impart training to students in Odissi dance. Many famous classical dancers such as Sanjukta Panigrahi, Kukum Mohanty, Sonal Mansingh, Priyambada Mohanty, Minati Mishra and Bhartanatyam dancer Yamini Krishamurthy are disciples of guru Kelucharan Mohapatra.

For his enormous contribution to Odissi, Kelucharan Mohapatra received many awards including Sangeet Natak Akademi award, 1966; Padma Shri, 1972; Padma Bhushan,1989; Padma Vibhushan, 2000; and Kalidas Samman from Madhya Pradesh government. To honor him the Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra award was instituted in 1995. This annual award is given for the contribution in the field of art.

This Odissi exponent passed away on April 7, 2004 in Bhubaneshwar, Orissa, leaving behind a league of Odissi dancers to continue the work started by him.

ODISSI Brief History

ODISSI

The Odissi (Orissi) dance is the Indian classical dance from the Eastern state of Odissa. It has a long, yet broken tradition. Although dance in Odissa may be traced back more than 2000 years, it was brought to near extinction during the colonial period. Therefore, modern Odissi dance is a reconstruction.


HISTORY

Like other forms of Indian classical dance, the Odissi style traces its origins back to antiquity. Dancers are found depicted in bas-relief in the hills of Udaygiri (near Bhubaneshwar) dating back to the 1st century BC. The Natya Shastra speaks of the dance from this region and refers to it as Odra-Magadhi.

Over the centuries three schools of Odissi dance developed: Mahari, Nartaki, and Gotipau. The Mahari tradition is the devadasi tradition; this is the use of women who are attached to deities in the temple. The Nartaki tradition is the school of Odissi dance which developed in the royal courts. Gotipau is a style characteristed by the use of young boys dressed up in female clothing to perform female roles.

Odissi dance was held in high esteem before the 17th century. Nobility were known for their patronage of the arts, and it was not unheard of for royalty of both sexes to be accomplished dancers. However, after the 17th century, the social position of dancers began to decline. Dancing girls were considered to be little more than prostitutes, and the "Anti-Nautch" movement of the British brought Odissi dance to near extinction.

Before Independence, the position of Orissi dance was very bad. The tradition of dancing girls at the temple at Puri was abolished. The royal patronage of nartaki had been severely eroded by the absorption of India under the crown. The only viable Odissi tradition was the Gotipau. This had weathered the British Anti-Nautch movement simply because it was danced by males. Yet even the Gotipau tradition was in a very bad state.


Independence brought a major change in official attitudes toward Indian Dance. Like the other classical arts, dance was seen as a way to define India's national identity. Governmental and non-governmental patronage increased. The few remaining Odissi dancers were given employment, and a massive job of reconstructing the Odissi dance began. This reconstruction involved combing through ancient texts, and more importantly, the close examination of dance posses represented in bas-relief in the various temples.

There were a number of people who were responsible for the reconstruction and popularisation of Odissi dance. Most notable are Guru Deba Prasad Das, Guru Mayadhar Raut, Guru Pankaj Charan Das, Guru Mahadev Rout, Guru Raghu Dutta, and Guru Kelu Charan Mahapatra.

Today Odissi dance is once again deemed a viable and "classical" dance.

STYLE -

There are a number of characteristics of the Odissi dance. The style may be seen as a conglomeration of aesthetic and technical details.

One of the most characteristic features of Odissi dance is the Tribhangi. The concept of Tribhang divides the body into three parts, head, bust, and torso. Any posture which deals with these three elements is called tribhangi. This concept has created the very characteristic poses which are more contorted than found in other classical Indian dances.

The mudras are also important. The term mudra means "stamp" and is a hand position which signifies things. The use of mudras help tell a story in a manner similar to the hula of Hawaii.
THEMES

The themes of Odissi are almost exclusively religious in nature. They most commonly revolve around Krishna. Although the worship of Krishna is found throughout India, there are local themes which are emphasised. The Ashtapadi's of Jayadev are a very common theme.


MUSIC

The musical accompaniment of Odissi dance is essentially the same as the music of Odissa itself. There are various views on how the music of the Odissi relates to the music of greater North India. It is usually considered just another flavour of Hindustani sangeet, however there are some who feel that Odissi should be considered a separate classical system.

There are a number of musical instruments used to accompany the Odissi dance. One of the most important is the pakhawaj, also known as the madal. This is the same pakhawaj that is used elsewhere in the north except for a few small changes. One difference is that the right head is a bit smaller than the usual north Indian pakhawaj. This necessitates a technique which in many ways is more like that of the tabla, or mridangam. Other instruments which are commonly used are the bansuri (bamboo flute), the manjira (metal cymbals), the sitar and the tanpura.

There was a move to classify Odissi as a separate classical system. This movement is generally considered to have failed for a number of reasons. The general view is that traditional Orissi singers and musicians have been so influenced by Hindustani concepts that they are unable to present the music in its "original" form.

There is a peculiar irony to this movement. Had they succeeded in having Odissi music declared to be a separate system, then it would be hard to justify calling it classical. It would fail to achieve any level, of ethnic transcendence and would essentially be reduced to the level of a "traditional" art form.



MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS USED TO ACCOMPANY ODISSI DANCE

* Pakhawaj
* Bansuri
* Manjira
* Sitar
* Tanpura



Source : chandrakantha.com

Odissi takes its name from the state of its origin, Orissa

Odissi takes its name from the state of its origin, Orissa



Odissi takes its name from the state of its origin, Orissa. Orissa’s interesting geographical position at the exact centre of the eastern border of India, has influenced its culture and tradition a great deal, thus making its dance and music very unique. Though dance originated in Orissa in the 2nd century BC, it was not until approximately 60 years ago that Odissi, in the form it is seen today, was re-invented, re-vitalised and re-defined. Therefore, Odissi is a synthesis of the ancient and exotic and modern and intellectual. Todays Odissi is sourced from Devadasi or Mahari tradition (a tradition where beautiful young women were consecrated to the Gods. They sang and danced in the sanctum-sanctorum of the temple as a part of the sacred worship), Gotipua Nacha (a tradition that was started, to popularise the Vaishnava philosophy, by dressing up young boys as women who sang and danced the devotional poems of Vaishnava poets), and the endless sculptures in various motifs carved on the temple walls of Orissa.

Odissi is the only dance form to have another basic body position besides the centered ‘Plie’ stance. The second stance Tribhangi, literally meaning three bends and inspired by temple sculptures, is the feminine curvaceous sculptural position with the body weight on one foot. Therefore, Odissi creates an illusion of sculpture coming to life. Isolated torso movements, typical to the Odissi style only, help create these curves and therefore an eternal ‘S’ pattern is formed in the body and space.

Source: nrityagram.org

ODISSI oldest surviving dance form

ODISSI oldest surviving dance form

Odissi is considered to be one of the oldest surviving dance forms based on archaeological evidence. The traditional dance form of Orissa, it owes its origin to the temple dances of the devadasis (temple dancers). Possibly, the oldest classical dance form in the country, Odissi has been mentioned in inscriptions, depicted on sculptures, in temples like the Brahmeswara and the dancing hall of the Sun Temple at Konark. In the 1950s, the entire dance form was revitalised, thanks to the Abhinaya Chandrika and sculpted dance poses found in temples.

Odissi as we know it today is the result of a long process of reconstruction from various dance traditions of Orissa, for instance the Maharis, the Goti puas and the Bhandanritya traditions. Maharis are the counterparts of the Devadasis of the South. Gotipuas are men who dressed as female dancers and danced like the Maharis.

While the form is curvaceous, concentrating on the tribhang or the division of the body into three parts, head, bust and torso; the mudras and the expressions are similar to those of Bharatnatyam. Odissi performances are replete with lores of the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, Lord Krishna. It is a soft, lyrical classical dance which depicts the ambience of Orissa and the philosophy of its most popular deity, Lord Jagannath.

Odissi is based on the popular devotion to Lord Krishna and the verses of the Sanskrit play Geet Govinda are used to depict the love and devotion to God. The Odissi dancers use their head, bust and torso in soft flowing movements to express specific moods and emotions.

Source: odissi.itgo.com

ODISSI

ODISSI

Odissi traces its origins to the ritual dances performed in the temples of ancient northern India. Today the name Odissi refers to the dance style of the state of Orissa in eastern India. Like other classical arts of India, this ancient dance style had suffered a decline as temples and artists lost the patronage of feudal rulers and princely states, and by the 1930s and 40s, there were very few surviving practitioners of the art.

The current form of Odissi is the product of a 20th century revival. Dedicated scholars and dance enthusiasts carefully researched manuscripts and studied the sculpture, painting and poetry of the region. They also met and observed the performances of the few existing performers, in order to revive and restructure Odissi as a unique classical dance style adapted to the requirements of formal stage presentation. Over the years Odissi has become one of the most popular classical dance styles.

Like other Indian classical dance forms, Odissi has two major facets: Nritta or non-representational dance, in which ornamental patterns are created using body movements in space and time; and Abhinaya, or stylized mime in which symbolic hand gestures and facial expressions are used to interpret a story or theme.

The divine love tales of Radha and the cowherd God Krishna are favourite themes for interpretation, and a typical recital of Odissi will contain at least one or two ashtapadis (poem of eight couplets) from Jayadeva's Gita Govindam, which describes in exquisite Sanskrit poetry the complex relationship between Radha and her Lord.
The technique of Odissi includes repeated use of the tribhangi, or thrice deflected posture, in which the body is bent in three places, approximating the shape of a helix. This posture and the characteristic shifting of the torso from side to side, make Odissi a difficult style to execute. When mastered, it is the epitome of fluid grace and has a distinctively lyrical quality that is very appealing.

Source: artindia.net