Kathak Costumes

Kathak Costumes

Kathak is a wonderful blend of Hindu and Muslim culture. So, there are two kinds of costumes in Kathak. We make costumes at a very reasonable rate. You can place an order and we will mail it to you at our earliest convenience. We make traditional costumes, but custom designs are welcome. You may provide measurements either in person or by email/mail. We suggest silk material (e.g. Banarasi , South silk). Since Kathak is unique for footwork and circles, the material has to be light for producing flaires. We have given pictures of both types of costumes below. You may provide the material of the costume or choose a color and a design and we will buy it and let you know the price.

Kathak Costumes - See pictures below

# Lahenga-Choli (long banjara-top choli or a shorter sari-blouse-style choli) and Veil (women and girls) or Dhoti-Kurta (men and boys)

# Angarakshak and Veil (women and girls) or Kameez-Churidar-Vest (men and boys)

"Katha kahe so Kathak"

"Katha kahe so Kathak"

Kathak is the classical dance style of North India. The word Kathak is derived from katha , meaning "a story", and hence the word Kathak means a storyteller who recounted mythological tales in the temples and danced them in a state of ecstasy. Having its origin in the sacred text known as the Natya Shastra , set to be divinely inspired through the sage Bharata, it has become one of the most comprehensive and expressive languages of movement in the world.

With the advent of the Mogul rule in India (11th-18th centuries), it was transformed from a temple dance to court dance and became a brilliant entertainment. It was recognized in its innovative aspect by the Mogul emperors, especially the poet king Wajid Ali Shah who rescued it from oblivion, lent it dignity and founded the famed Lucknow Garana.

This dance form depicts "life" and is based on the philosophy of the trinity - creation (Brahma), preservation (Vishnu), and destruction (Mahesh). Its poses are seldom static and it has a continuous flow of movements very near to life. Equal stress is laid on intricate footwork and beauty of expression. It is two-dimensional in character; it conceives the space basically in straight lines and does not put emphasis on giving a three-dimensional effect. The human form is conceived as a straight line and there are very few deviations from the vertical median.

Kathak can be divided into nritta and abhinayaon the one hand and tandava and lasya on the other. Nritta and abhinaya are applicable to the movements in the dance style. Tandava and lasya have to do with the type of numerics which are played on the tabla or executed by the feet.

Kathak is unique for its Footworks and Circles. It is for both male and female.

The Music of Kathak

Kathak can be danced with a wide variety of music. Here are some of them:

1. Slokas (Sanskrit / Hindi) and Bhajans (devotional songs for Hindu Gods and Goddesses). Please see the Lyrics of Bhajans.
2. Classical and Light Classical Songs e.g. Thumri, Dadra, Kajri, Hori.
3. Film songs preferably based on Ragas
4. Darbari and Ghazals (mainly Urdu) - songs based on love, admiration, infatuation, seperation etc. For examples of Ghazals, you may see Ghazals of Mirza Ghalib. You may consult the English-Urdu Dictionary.
5. Pure Classical type e.g. Paran, Tukda, Gat Nikas, Jugalbandi (a friendly competition), Sawal-Jawab (footwork with tabla or pakhawaj) and demonstration of different Beats. You may consult Taalmala.
6. Tarana based on different Ragas.
Please scroll below to see the definitions and links related to kathak.
7. Songs written by Ravindra Nath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam (Bengali)
8. Folk Dances from different states of India e.g. Bhangra, Dandia, Garba, Machua, Chhau etc. and also gypsy dance. They have a unique style but they can be blended with kathak.
9. Dance Dramas (mainly Hindi) example, topics chosen from the epic Mahabharata which was composed by Vyas Deva and describes the story of Vedic era. The other great composition is the epic called Ramayana written by Valmiki. It describes the story of Rama (a representative of God Vishnu), the king of Ayodhya. Rama's wife Sita was abducted by Ravana, the demon king of Sri Lanka. Rama fought a war against Ravana and defeated him. Ramayana presents the ideology of king Rama and his love for his country ; Shakuntala, Krishnaleela etc.
10. Any musical (classical) composition e.g. Sitar, Sarod, Violin, Sarengi, Israj, Dilruba (String instruments), Sehnai, Flute (Wind instruments) and Tabla, Pakhawaj, Naal, Dholak (Percussion instruments) based on an ancient (as #9) or modern theme (preferably on India).
11. Kathak (specially footwork) can be blended with Tap dancing
Kathak Dance Elements

Basic Footwork: Right and Left feet are stamped as follows using Keharwa (An eight count beat). Please see Taalmala for details. Click here to see Kathak bells.

1 2 3 4
Ta Thei Thei Ta (Bol / Phrase)
Right Left Right Left

5 6 7 8
Aa Thei Thei Ta
Left Right Left Right

Types of Circles: Static, Dynamic, Sitting circles.

Navras: Nine Sentiments (expression / acting)
1. Shant - Quiet
2. Veer - Hero
3. Krodh - Anger
4. Adbhut - Surprise
5. Vibhastsya - Disgust
6. Karun - Pathos
7. Hasya - Comedy
8. Bhaye - Fear
9. Shringar - Beauty

Hand Gestures:
Asanjukta Hasta Mudra (Single Handed Gestures)
Sanjukta Hasta Mudra (Combined Handed Gestures)

Gat Nikas:
A composition describing the movement of a bird (e.g. peacock, swan), animal (e.g. elephant, lion), a human charactor or Hindu Gods and Goddesses and is usually performed with the beats of a percussion instrument accompanied by string instruments e.g. Sarengi, Sitar, Swarmandal etc. Gat Nikas, commonly called Gat Vab, is named as follows.

Parvati Gat - movement of Hindu Goddess Parvati (Goddess of strength)
Stri Gat - movement of a lady
Mayur Gat - movement of a peacock
Gajagamini Gat - movement of an elephant
There are many other Gats e.g. Ghunghat (veil), Holi (festival of colors), Lahenga (a Hindu dress or costume), Selami (a Muslim way of salutation to the audience) etc. There are variations in eye, neck, feet movements.


Amad - It means arrival or appearance on the stage. The Tukda following the Hindu way of greeting the audience by doing Namaste is called Amad.

Selami - At the beginning of kathak dance, the way of salutation to the audience according to the Muslim culture is called Selami.

Tukda - The Bol / Phrase having one or more Avartan (one cycle depending on beats). Please see Taalmala .

Paran - Bols / Phrases receited with the rhythm of Pakhawaj (a percussion instrument). It can be of many kinds, e.g. Bol Paran, Jati Paran, Ghungru (bells) Paran, Pakshi (bird) Paran. Also Ganesh Paran, Kali Paran, Lakhsmi Paran (by the name of the Hindu Gods and Goddesses) etc.

Tarana - It is usually sung after Chota Kheyal (consult Ragmala). It is composed of meaningless words or phrases e.g. 'Tana Dere Na Dim', 'Na Der Dani Ni', 'Tom Tana Na', 'Udanita Nana Der Der' etc. Tarana composition is the hardest one in kathak. It needs a clear conception in everything e.g. footwork, beat theory, circles, tukda, paran etc. It is usually accompanied with Tabla and can be performed in any Raga. It is fast and rhythmic, hence easily enchants the audience.
Kathak Costumes
- Kathak is a wonderful blend of Hindu and Muslim culture. The costumes are very gorgeous for both Hindu (Lahenga-Choli) and Muslim - (Churidar-Kameez-Vest) called Angrakha. Click here for more information about Kathak costumes

History of Kathak

History of Kathak


Kathak is a classical dance form from South Asia (originally from North India) and is the national dance of the USPakistan. It is a partially narrative dance form characterized by fast footwork (tatkar), spins (chakkar) and innovative use of bhav in abhinaya. It has today a form that has been influenced at various times in the past by mythological narratives by kathakas or ancient bards, temple dances, the bhakti movement (both Vaishnavism and Shaivite), and Persian influence of the Mughal courts in the 16th century onwards; and these elements are readily discernible. Performers today generally draw their lineage from three major schools of Kathak: the Jaipur gharana, the Lucknow gharana and the Banaras gharana (born in the courts of the Kachwaha Rajput kings, the Nawab of Oudh, and Varanasi respectively); there is also a less prominent (and later) Raigarh gharana which amalgamated technique from all three preceding gharanas but became famous for its own distinctive compositions.

The name Kathak is derived from the Sanskrit word katha meaning story, and katthaka in Sanskrit means s/he who tells a story, or to do with stories. The name of the form is properly katthak, with the geminated dental to show a derived form, but this has since simplified to modern-day kathak. kathaa kahe so kathak is a saying many teachers pass on to their pupils, which is generally translated, 's/he who tells a story, is a kathak', but which can also be translated, 'that which tells a story, that is Kathak'.
History of Kathak
During the Bhakti Era
During the era of fervent worship of Radha-Krishna, Kathak was used to narrate tales from the lives of these figures. Popular performances included Sri Krishna’s exploits in the holy land of Vrindavan, and tales of Krishna-Leela (Krishna’s childhood). In this time, the dance moved away from the spirituality of the temple.

Mughal influence
It was when the dance reached the Mughal court after the 15th century that Kathak began to acquire its distinctive shape and features. Here it encountered other different forms of dance and music, most especially dancers from Persia. Dancers were enticed from the temples to the courts by gifts of gold, jewels and royal favour. Patronage soared as a social class of dancers and courtiers emerged in the royal palaces, where dance competitions were held frequently. The environment of the North Indian Mughal courts caused a shift in focus from a purely religious art form to entertainment. Dancers from the Middle East spread their ideas to Kathak dancers, as they borrowed ideas from Kathak to implement in their own dance. Slowly, the two dances became one, as a common link between the Muslim and Hindu culture.

Kathak began to shift away from other traditional dances, such as Bharatanatyam. The demi-plié stance of most other Indian dance forms gave way to straight legs taken from the Persian dancers. To emphasize the flamboyant and elaborate rhythmic footwork as many as 150 ankle bells on each leg were worn. It was also during this period that the signature 'chakkars' (spins) of Kathak were introduced, possibly influenced by the so-called whirling dervishes. The straight-legged position gave a new vitality to the footwork, which wove percussive rhythms in its own right, whether together with or in complement to the tabla or pakhawaj. Kathak remained a solo art form, based on personal interpretations and emotional values. The beautiful (but copious) jewellery and costume of the dancers combined with poetic narration to tell fabulous tales of drama, triumph, and tragedy. The music, regalia, atmosphere, and themes developed through the fusion of cultures in a way that no other dance could. Although now substantially different from the other Indian dance forms, the roots of the style remain the same, and as such it displays a consanguineity with the others, particularly in the hand-formations during story-telling, and some of the body-postures, for example the tribhangi position, which is common to most Indian dance forms.

Later court influences
Many specific emperors contributed to the growth and development of Kathak into different gharanas, or schools of dance, named after the cities in which they developed. The Nawab of Oudh, Wajid Ali Shah, not only enjoyed giving patronage to dancers, but danced himself, taught by Durga Prasad. He himself choreographed a dance, Rahas, that he danced himself with the ladies of his court. He brought teachers to his palaces, aiding the expansion of technical vocabulary, and formed the basis of the Lucknow gharana, emphasizing sensuous, expressive emotion. The Lucknow gharana placed emphasis on the abhinaya and natya elements or expressional qualities of the dancing; it was famed for its subtlety and grace (nazakat). This contrasted sharply with the Jaipur gharana, which became renowned for highly intricate and complex footwork, and fast, sharp, and accurate dancing. Even after the Moghuls, courts in Rajasthan enjoyed Kathak as a sophisticated art form, fostering the growth of the Jaipur gharana. The Banaras gharana was also created in this time.

During the Raj
With the advent of British Rule in India, Kathak went into sharp decline. The Victorian administrators publicly pronounced it a base and unlovely form of entertainment, despite often privately enjoying the pleasures of the tawaif. Indeed, by associating Kathak solely with the tawaifs and then associating the tawaifs with out-and-out prostitution, Kathak acquired an unwholesome image: the entirely British concept of nautch. Kathak was, to Victorian eyes, an entertainment designed solely for the purposes of seduction. During these times of cultural hardship, the role of the tawaifs in preserving the art forms should not be underestimated. Famous tawaifs such as Gauhar Jan were instrumental in the maintenance and continuation of Kathak, even as it was officially denigrated by the prevailing political opinion.

Today
Today, Kathak has regained its popularity after the period of decline during the rule of the British Empire where it was frowned upon by Victorian administrators. Not only in India, but throughout the world, it is recognised as one of the seven classical dance forms of India. Kathak’s unique history has made it very different from other traditional dance forms, although it still retains the same roots. Presently, this classical dance is characterized by a combination of the temple and court forms, inclusive of both the devotion and romantic form that has shaped it through the years. The influence of theatre dance has presented itself in the movement towards dance productions of stories such as Shakuntala. Expressive motion, rhythmic accuracy, graceful turning, poised stances, technical clarity, hand gestures (mudras) and subtle expression (bhava-abhinaya) are important components of modern Kathak. The work of the Maharaj family of dancers (Acchan Maharaj, Shambhu Maharaj, Lachhu Maharaj and one of the great current dancers still alive today, Birju Maharaj) and his students including Pandit Satya Narayana Charka have been very successful in spreading the popularity of Kathak. Another disciple of Acchan Maharaj is Sitara Devi, daughter of Sukhdev Maharaj of Benaras. Her lively, zestful and fiery performances have impressed many audiences. Shambhu Maharaj also trained Smt. Kumudini Lakhia, who, along with Birju Maharaj, has introduced the relative innovation of multi-person choreographies in Kathak. She has gained a strong reputation for combining purely classical movements and style with distinctly contemporary use of space.

Source: gloriousindia.org

Classical Indian Dance

Classical Indian Dance

Indian classical dance is a misnomer, and actually refers to Natya, the sacred Hindu musical theatre styles. Its theory can be traced back to the Natya Shastra of Bharata Muni (400 BC).

Dances performed inside the sanctum of the temple according to the rituals were called Agama Nartanam. This was a spiritual dance form.

Dances performed in royal courts to the accompaniment of classical music were called Carnatakam. This was an intellectual art form.

Darbari Aatam form of dance appealed more to the commoners and it educated them about their religion, culture and social life. These dances were performed outside the temple precincts in the courtyards.

The Sangeet Natak Akademi currently confers classical status on eight "dance" forms:

1. Bharatanatyam
2. Kathak
3. Kathakali
4. Kuchipudi
5. Manipuri
6. Mohiniaattam
7. Odissi
8. Sattriya

For lack of any equivalents in the European culture, the British colonial authorities called any performing art forms found in India as "Indian dance". Even though the art of Natya includes nritta, or dance proper, Natya has never been limited to dancing alone. At its best, has the most powerful means to lead its worshippers – the artist – to the Divine. It is a sincere depiction of the Divine. It is a sincere depiction of the realities in life, an embodiment of the imagination and gracefulness, the very soul which thereby creates as it were the “Idol of the Beautiful”.

Out of the 8 styles, the most ancient ones and the ones that have their origin in Agama Nartanam are Bharatanatyam and Odissi. These two most faithfully adhere to the Natya Shastra.

Kuchipudi and Mohiniaattam are relatively recent Darbari Aatam forms, just as Kathakali, and two eastern Indian styles, Manipuri and Sattriya, that are quite similar. Kathak bears a strong influence of the Persian dance.

A very important feature of Indian classical dances is the use of Mudras or hand gestures. Mudras are used by the artists to express their feeling or even the whole story.

Source: gloriousindia.org

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