The Odissi tradition
existed in three schools: Mahari, Nartaki, and Gotipua.
§ Maharis were
Oriya devadasis or temple girls,
their name deriving from Maha (great) and Nari or Mahri (chosen)
particularly those at the temple ofJagganath at Puri. Early
Maharis performed mainly Nritta (pure dance) and Abhinaya (interpretation
of poetry) based on Mantras and Slokas. Later,
Maharis especially performed dance sequences based on the lyrics of Jayadev's Gita Govinda. Bhitari
Gauni Maharis were allowed in the inner temple while Bahari
Gauni Maharis, though in the temples, were excluded from the sanctum
sanctorum.
§ By the 6th century,
the Gotipua tradition was emerging. One of the reasons given
for the emergence of Gotipuas is that Vaishnavas did not approve of
dancing by women. Gotipuas were boys dressed up as girls and taught the dance
by the Maharis. During this period, Vaishnava poets composed
innumerable lyrics in Oriya dedicated to Radha and Krishna.
Gotipuas danced to these compositions and gradually stepped out of the
precincts of the temples.
§ Nartaki dance
took place in the royal courts, where it was much cultivated before the British
period. At that time the misuse of devadasis came under strong attack, so that
Odissi dance withered in the temples and became unfashionable at court. Only
the remnants of the Gotipua school remained, and the reconstruction of the
style required an archaeological and anthropological effort that has tended to
foster a conservative purism.[7]
Mahari Tradition
The consecration of females
to the service of temple dancing began in the Shaivite temples and continued in
the Jagannath temple in service of the Lord Jagannath. These attendants have
been known as Maharis (great women) or Devadasis (servants
of the lord), and have been considered the wives of Lord Jagannath. Odissi
developed through their art.
The first evidence of the
Mahari institution in Orissa comes from a commemorative inscription by Udyota
Kesari, the last King of the dynasty. In the 10thcentury the King’s
mother, Kolavati Devi, dedicated temple dancers to Lord Shiva in the Brahmeswara Temple.
Raja Anantavarma Chodagangadeva
appointed dancing girls for ritual services in the Jagannatha temple in the 11th century,
and these Maharis were the ones responsible for keeping the dance alive for
centuries. Through the technique of unequal division of weight and firm
footwork balancing a fluid upper torso, the dancer achieves a sensuality that
is uncommon in other classical dance styles. Some eminent Mahari dancers are
Moni Mahari, Dimmi (Domi) Mahari, Dungri Mahari (Harapriya), and Padmashri Guru
Pankaj Charan Das.
Gotipua tradition
In the Oriya language
Gotipua means single boy. Gotipua dance is performed only by boys
who dress up as females. During the rule of King Prataprudra Dev, who was a
follower of Sri Chaityana, renewed this dancing
tradition by boys, as the Vaishnavas did not approve of dances by females.
Dance vocabulary and repertoire
Traditional Odissi
repertoire consists of:
Mangalacharana
An invocation piece. After
paying homage to Lord Jagannath a shloka (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 (salutation
to Mother Earth) which is offered to Mother Earth as a way of begging
forgiveness for stamping on her and the Trikhandi Pranam or
the three-fold salutation - above the head to the Gods, in front of the face to
the gurus and in front of the chest to the audience.
Battu Nrutya
Also known as Sthayee
Nrutya or Batuka Bhairava (Furious Dance) it is
performed in the honor of Lord Shiva- the
cosmic Lord of Dance. It is one of the 64 furious-aspects of Lord
Shiva known. The origin of dance is believed to be from Tantrism that had flourished
in Orissa. Linga
Purana andMahanirvanatantra give an elaborate description
of Batuka Bhairava in three aspects, and the results of their
worship have also been explained elaborately in the texts. Battu Nrutya is
an item of pure Nrutya (Dance)and remains the most difficult
item of Odissi dance. The dance begins with a series of sculpturesque poses
depicting such actions as the playing of a Veena (Lute), Mardala or Pakhawaj (Drum), Karatala (Cymbals)
and Venu(Flute), that brings out the interrelationships between
this dance and the dance sculptures adorning the temples of Orissa. These poses
are stringed together with steps in different rhythms. There is no song or
recitation accompanying the dance, but throughout the item a refrain of
rhythmic syllables is provided. The accompanying refrain is in the form of one
line of Ukuta and as this is recited in the Tala, different Jathi-patterns
are improvised and are executed with the feet. Some Tala variations are
introduced and each sequence of the dance terminates with a Tehdi known
as Katam. The last sequence is always in Jhula Pahapata
Tala and is performed with a fast tempo.
Pallavi
A pure dance item in which
a raga is
elaborated through eye movements, body postures & intricate footwork.
Pallavi literally means “blossoming”. This is applicable not only to the dance,
but also to the music, which accompanies it. Pallavi starts with slow, graceful
& lyrical movements of the eyes, neck, torso & feet & slowly builds
in a crescendo to climax in a fast tempo at the end. Both the dance and the
music evolve in complexity as the dancer traces multiple patterns in space,
interpreting the music dexterously in the multilayered dimensions of taal
(rhythm) and laya (speed).
Abhinaya
An expressional dance which
is an enactment of a song or poetry, where a story conveyed to the audience
through mudras (hand
gestures), bhavas (facial
expression), eye movement and body movement. The dance is fluid, very graceful,
and sensual. Abhinaya can be performed on verses in Sanskrit or Oriya language. The verses
are extremely ornate in content and suggestion. Most common are Abhinayas
on Oriya songs or Sanskrit Ashthapadis or Sanskrit
stutis like Dasavatar Stotram (depicting the ten
incarnations of Lord Vishnu)
or Ardhanari Stotram. Most of
the Abhinaya compositions are based on the Radha-Krishna theme. The Astapadis
of the kãvya Gita Govinda written
by the Saint Jayadev are an integral part of its repertoire. The beginning
pieces are dedicated to Lord Jagannath -
an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
Dance drama
Usually longer than
Abhinaya and typically performed by more than one dancers. Some of the much
appreciated dance dramas composed by Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra are: Sudama
Dharitra Bhanjana, Mathamani Pradhana, Balya Leela, Rutu Samhara, Krishna
Sudama, Dushmanta Sakuntala, Utkala Mauda Mani, Yagnaseni, Meghadoot, Kumara
Sambhava, Sapan Nayaka. Usually Hindu mythologies are chosen as themes, but
experimenting with the theme and form in recent years have led to extremely
unique creations. Some worth-mentioning themes in recent years are Panchakanya,
Ganga Yamuna, Shrita kamalam, Mrutyuh and Tantra.
Moksha
The concluding item of a
recital. Moksha means “spiritual liberation”. This dance represents a spiritual
culmination for the dancer who soars into the realm of pure aesthetic delight.
Movement and pose merge to create ever new patterns, ever new designs in space
and time. The dance moves onto a crescendo that is thrilling to both, the eye
and the ear. With the cosmic sound of the “Om”, the dance dissolves into
nothingness — just like Moksha or the deliverance of the soul in real life.
Traditional Odissi
repertoire consists of:
Mangalacharana
An invocation piece. After
paying homage to Lord Jagannath a shloka (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 (salutation
to Mother Earth) which is offered to Mother Earth as a way of begging
forgiveness for stamping on her and the Trikhandi Pranam or
the three-fold salutation - above the head to the Gods, in front of the face to
the gurus and in front of the chest to the audience.
Battu Nrutya
Also known as Sthayee
Nrutya or Batuka Bhairava (Furious Dance) it is
performed in the honor of Lord Shiva- the
cosmic Lord of Dance. It is one of the 64 furious-aspects of Lord
Shiva known. The origin of dance is believed to be from Tantrism that had flourished
in Orissa. Linga
Purana andMahanirvanatantra give an elaborate description
of Batuka Bhairava in three aspects, and the results of their
worship have also been explained elaborately in the texts. Battu Nrutya is
an item of pure Nrutya (Dance)and remains the most difficult
item of Odissi dance. The dance begins with a series of sculpturesque poses
depicting such actions as the playing of a Veena (Lute), Mardala or Pakhawaj (Drum), Karatala (Cymbals)
and Venu(Flute), that brings out the interrelationships between
this dance and the dance sculptures adorning the temples of Orissa. These poses
are stringed together with steps in different rhythms. There is no song or
recitation accompanying the dance, but throughout the item a refrain of
rhythmic syllables is provided. The accompanying refrain is in the form of one
line of Ukuta and as this is recited in the Tala, different Jathi-patterns
are improvised and are executed with the feet. Some Tala variations are
introduced and each sequence of the dance terminates with a Tehdi known
as Katam. The last sequence is always in Jhula Pahapata
Tala and is performed with a fast tempo.
Pallavi
A pure dance item in which
a raga is
elaborated through eye movements, body postures & intricate footwork.
Pallavi literally means “blossoming”. This is applicable not only to the dance,
but also to the music, which accompanies it. Pallavi starts with slow, graceful
& lyrical movements of the eyes, neck, torso & feet & slowly builds
in a crescendo to climax in a fast tempo at the end. Both the dance and the
music evolve in complexity as the dancer traces multiple patterns in space,
interpreting the music dexterously in the multilayered dimensions of taal
(rhythm) and laya (speed).
Abhinaya
An expressional dance which
is an enactment of a song or poetry, where a story conveyed to the audience
through mudras (hand
gestures), bhavas (facial
expression), eye movement and body movement. The dance is fluid, very graceful,
and sensual. Abhinaya can be performed on verses in Sanskrit or Oriya language. The verses
are extremely ornate in content and suggestion. Most common are Abhinayas
on Oriya songs or Sanskrit Ashthapadis or Sanskrit
stutis like Dasavatar Stotram (depicting the ten
incarnations of Lord Vishnu)
or Ardhanari Stotram. Most of
the Abhinaya compositions are based on the Radha-Krishna theme. The Astapadis
of the kãvya Gita Govinda written
by the Saint Jayadev are an integral part of its repertoire. The beginning
pieces are dedicated to Lord Jagannath -
an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.[9]
Dance
drama
Usually longer than
Abhinaya and typically performed by more than one dancers. Some of the much
appreciated dance dramas composed by Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra are: Sudama
Dharitra Bhanjana, Mathamani Pradhana, Balya Leela, Rutu Samhara, Krishna
Sudama, Dushmanta Sakuntala, Utkala Mauda Mani, Yagnaseni, Meghadoot, Kumara
Sambhava, Sapan Nayaka. Usually Hindu mythologies are chosen as themes, but
experimenting with the theme and form in recent years have led to extremely
unique creations. Some worth-mentioning themes in recent years are Panchakanya,
Ganga Yamuna, Shrita kamalam, Mrutyuh and Tantra.
Moksha
The concluding item of a
recital. Moksha means “spiritual liberation”. This dance represents a spiritual
culmination for the dancer who soars into the realm of pure aesthetic delight.
Movement and pose merge to create ever new patterns, ever new designs in space
and time. The dance moves onto a crescendo that is thrilling to both, the eye
and the ear. With the cosmic sound of the “Om”, the dance dissolves into
nothingness — just like Moksha or the deliverance of the soul in real life.
Traditional Odissi
repertoire consists of:
Mangalacharana
An invocation piece. After
paying homage to Lord Jagannath a shloka (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 (salutation
to Mother Earth) which is offered to Mother Earth as a way of begging
forgiveness for stamping on her and the Trikhandi Pranam or
the three-fold salutation - above the head to the Gods, in front of the face to
the gurus and in front of the chest to the audience.
Battu Nrutya
Also known as Sthayee
Nrutya or Batuka Bhairava (Furious Dance) it is
performed in the honor of Lord Shiva- the
cosmic Lord of Dance. It is one of the 64 furious-aspects of Lord
Shiva known. The origin of dance is believed to be from Tantrism that had flourished
in Orissa. Linga
Purana andMahanirvanatantra give an elaborate description
of Batuka Bhairava in three aspects, and the results of their
worship have also been explained elaborately in the texts. Battu Nrutya is
an item of pure Nrutya (Dance)and remains the most difficult
item of Odissi dance. The dance begins with a series of sculpturesque poses
depicting such actions as the playing of a Veena (Lute), Mardala or Pakhawaj (Drum), Karatala (Cymbals)
and Venu(Flute), that brings out the interrelationships between
this dance and the dance sculptures adorning the temples of Orissa. These poses
are stringed together with steps in different rhythms. There is no song or
recitation accompanying the dance, but throughout the item a refrain of
rhythmic syllables is provided. The accompanying refrain is in the form of one
line of Ukuta and as this is recited in the Tala, different Jathi-patterns
are improvised and are executed with the feet. Some Tala variations are introduced
and each sequence of the dance terminates with a Tehdi known
as Katam. The last sequence is always in Jhula Pahapata
Tala and is performed with a fast tempo.
Odissi terminology
Alap
It is the opening section of a
typical Indian classical performance. It is unmetered, improvised (within the raga)
and unaccompanied (except for the drone of the Tanpura),
and is started at a slow tempo.
Anadha
Asanjukta Dhvanis
Sound created by striking the Mardala
or Pakhawaj (Drum) with one hand.
Avartan(a)
One complete cycle of a taal.
Bani
Odissi term used to describe the
spoken drum neumonics. During dance performances Bani are spoken by the
percussionist or the guru.
Bhaga
In taal, this would be the groups the
taal is divided into. Also the points on which the tali, or khali would be.
e.g., Adital (Odissi) is divided into 4 groups of 4 beats. It is said that
Adital has 4 Bhago. These are the measures. Odissi music term.
Bhajan
It is any type of Indian devotional
song. It has no fixed form: it may be as simple as a Mantra or Kirtan or
as sophisticated as the Dhrupad or Kriti with music based on classical Ragas and Talas. It is normally lyrical,
expressing love for the Divine.
Chanda
In tal, this would be how the
divisions of the tal are divided. e.g., in Adital (Odissi), the sixteen beats
are divided into 4 groups of 4. So the Chanda for Adital is 4 + 4 + 4 + 4. This
describes what the Bhagas are.
Devadasis
They were the original temple dancers
who were "Servitress of God". They were dedicated to a deity or a
temple. Apart from taking care of the temple and performing various rituals,
these women learned and practiced Odissi dance, for dance and music were an
essential part of temple worship. They enjoyed a high social status.
Goti
These are barrel-shaped tension pegs
made of wood which adorn the Mardala or Pakhawaj (Drum).
The straps (Pitha) connecting the two apertures of the Mardala run over
them. These pegs can be moved to either increase or decrease the tension of the
leather membranes covering the two apertures of the Mardala and are useful in
tuning it.
Gotipua
Young boys trained in the fine art of
Odissi dance. The Gotipuas were allowed to leave the temple and dance for the
public. The current form of Odissi is heavily influenced by the Gotipua
tradition (and also the temple carvings from Orissa.)
Khanda Ukutta
When bani and ukuttas are formed
together to make phrases. e.g., Kititaka gadigana. Odissi term.
Mana
The ending sequence that is repeated
to designate that the ending of the piece or of a section. Typically in 3
repeats. Odissi term. People in Orissa inter change Tihai and Mano. But they
mean the same.
Maharis or Devadasis
The original temple dancers of
Orissa, but now extinct. This is the root of Odissi dance that was later taught
to young boys, Gotipuas. The style is now modernized and work is being done to
preserve it.[10]
Odissi music
Odissi dance is accompanied by Odissi music, a synthesis of
four classes of music,[11][12] i.e. Dhruvapada, Chitrapada, Chitrakala and Panchal. The Dhruvapada is the first line or lines to be sung
repeatedly. Chitrapada means the arrangement of words in an
alliterative style. The use of art in music is called Chitrakala. Kavisurya Baladeva Rath, the
renowned Oriya poet wrote lyrics, which are the best examples of Chitrakala. All of these were
combined to form the style that's peculiar to Odissi music.
Chhanda (metrical section)
contains the essence of Odissi music.The Chhandas were composed by combining Bhava (theme), Kala (time), and Swara (tune). The Chaurisha represents the originality of Odissi
style. All the thirty four (34) letters of the Oriya alphabet from 'Ka' to 'Ksha' are used chronologically at the
beginning of each line.
A special feature of Odissi music is the padi which consists of words to be sung in Druta Tala (fast beat). Odissi music can be sung
to different talas: Navatala (nine beats), Dashatala (ten beats) orEgartala (eleven beats). Odissi ragas are different from the ragas of Hindustani and Karnataki classical
music. The primary Odissi ragas[11][12] are Kalyana, Nata, Shree Gowda, Baradi,Panchama, Dhanashri, Karnata, Bhairavee and Shokabaradi.
Odissi music is sung through Raganga, Bhabanga and Natyanga Dhrubapadanga followed by Champu, Chhanda, Chautisa, Pallabi, Bhajan, Janana, and Gita Govinda, which are
considered to be a part of the repertoire of Odissi or an allied act form of
Odissi.
Odissi music has codified grammars, which are presented with
specific Raagas. Ithas also a distinctive rendition style. It is lyrical in its
movement with wave-like ornamentation. The pace of singing in Odissi is not
very fast nor too slow, and it maintains a proportional tempo which is very
soothing.
Costume and
Jewelry
The jewelry is made from intricate filigree silver jewelry pieces. Filigree, in French, means
“thin wire,” and in Oriya it is called Tarakasi.
This highly skilled art form is more than 500 years old and is traditionally
done by local artisans on the eastern shores of Orissa. The jewelry pieces themselves are an
important part of the Odissi dancer’s costume. They are the tikka (forehead ornament),allaka (head piece on which the tikka hangs),
unique ear covers in intricate shapes, usually depicting a peacock’s feathers,
with jimkis (bell shaped earrings) hanging from
them, two necklaces- a smaller necklace worn close to the neck and a longer
necklace with a hanging pendant, and two sets of bangles worn on the upper arm
and wrist. The process of creating each piece takes the collaboration of many
artisans each specialized in one step of the many that turns a lump of raw
silver into a handcrafted work of art.
Head piece
The crown or Mukoot or Mookut,
worn by the Odissi dancer is made only in the devotional city of Puri in Eastern Orissa. It is formed from the dried reeds called Sola in a tradition called Sola Kama. The reed is
carved by a series of cuts into the rod-like stem and forms various types of
flowers when a string is tied in the middle of the rod and pulled tight. As the
string is tightened, the flowers shape into Jasmines, Champa (one of the five
flowers of Lord Krishna’s arrows), and Kadamba (the flowers of the tree under which Radha would wait for her
beloved Lord Krishna).
The Mukoot consists of two parts i.e. Ghoba and Tahiya.
The flower decorated back piece, called the Ghoba,
sits around the dancer’s hair pulled into a bun at the back of the head. This
piece represents the Lotus flower with a thousand petals that lies above the head in the head
Chakra, or energy center. The longer piece that emerges from the center of the
back piece is called the Tahiya,
and this represents the temple spire of Lord Jagannath or the flute of Lord Krishna.
The Saree worn by Odissi dancers are generally coloured with bright shades
of orange, purple, red or green. This Saree features traditional prints of Orissa and shiny embellishment. This costume is drapped around the body
in unique traditional way unlike other classical dance forms of India.
Generally Sambalpuri Saree is being used in Odissi dance more than any other type of Sarees.
The makeup of an Odissi dancer includes Bindi (red dot), applied
on the forehead with a pattern made from sandalwood around it, Kajal (black eyeliner), applied around the eyes with a broad outline to
give them an elongated look, among others.
Odissi gurus and
performers
Padma Vibushan Kelucharan Mohapatra, Guru Pankaj Charan Das, Guru Deba Prasad Das and Guru Raghunath
Dutta were the four major gurus who revived Odissi in the late forties and
early fifties.Sanjukta Panigrahi, the great exponent of Odissi, was a leading disciple of Guru
Kelucharan Mohapatra's and popularized Odissi by performing extensively, both
in India and abroad. In the mid-sixties, two other disciples of Kelucharan
Mohapatra, Kumkum Mohanty and Sonal Mansingh, were best known
for their performances, both in India and abroad. Shrimati Laximipriya
Mohapatra performed a piece of Odissi abhinaya in the Annapurna Theatre in
Cuttack in 1948. This is widely upheld as the first ever performance of a
classical Odissi dance item after its contemporary revival.[14] Padma ShriMayadhar Raut also played a major role in giving Odissi dance its classical
status. He introduced Mudra
Vinyoga in 1955 and Sancharibhava in the Odissi dance items, and
presented on stage the enchanting Gita Govinda Ashthapadis, portraying Shringara
Rasa. His notable compositions include Pashyati
Dishi Dishi and Priya Charu Shile, composed in
1961.[15][16]
Most of the present day gurus were Gotipua dancers themselves, and
have trained dancers and teachers all over India and abroad. In the early
fifties, the outside world began to take note of Odissi. Priyambada Mohanty
Hejmadi and Dr. Susama Tej represented Orissa in the classical dance category
at the Inter University Youth Festival, New Delhi, in 1954 and 1955. It was
here that Dr. Charles Fabri witnessed their performances, hailed Odissi as a
great classical dance form, and helped Indrani Rehman and Sonal Mansingh study it. Sadly, Priyambada Mohanty Hejmadi left for the US for 16
long years, where she hardly performed, barring a recital or two here and
there. She returned to India only in the mid-nineteen seventies, by which time
well known dancers had already occupied a permanent and prominent space on the
Odissi horizon, and by which time Odissi had evolved considerably. The baton in
India was wielded gloriously, and with outstanding success and public acclaim,
by Sanjukta Panigrahi, Kumkum Mohanty and Sonal Mansingh, each of whom was a
major and distinctive star.
Kelucharan Mohapatra, Pankaj Charan Das, Deba Prasad Das, Raghunath Dutta, Bandana
Das, Cuckoo Meena Mohanty, Dr. Nandita Samuel, Kumkum Mohanty, Mayadhar Raut, Minati Misra,
Oopali Operajita, Protima Bedi, Ritha Devi, Sanjukta Panigrahi, Sonal Mansingh and Surendranath Jena contributed notably to the
propagation of Odissi, starting in the fifties, right up to the eighties and
nineties: the golden years of the Odissi renaissance.
Eminent contemporary gurus and performers in alphabetic order
include Aloka Kanungo, Aruna Mohanty, Bichitrananda Swain, Bijayini Satpathy,
Chitralekha Patnaik, Daksha Mashruwala, Dibakar Khuntia, Dr. Bidisha Mohanty, Durga Charan Ranbir, Gangadhar
Pradhan, Gita Mahalik, Harekrishna Behra, Ileana Citaristi, Jhelum Paranjape, Jyoti Rout, Kasturi Pattanaik, Kiran Segal, Kumkum Lal, Madhavi
Mudgal, Madhumita Raut[1], Manoranjan Pradhan, Meera Das, Muralidhar Majhi, Nandita Behera, Natabar
Maharana, Oopali Operajita, Poushali Mukherjee, Ramani Ranjan Jena, Ramli
Ibrahim, Ranjana Gauhar, Ratikant Mohapatra, Ratna Roy, Sharmila Biswas,
Sharmila Mukherjee, Sharon Lowen, Snehaprava
Samantaray, Sonal Mansingh, Sri Mahdeva
Raut, Srinath Raut,Sujata Mohapatra, Surupa Sen,
Sutapa Talukdar, Trinath Maharana and several others around the world.
Some of the upcoming Odissi
performers in alphabetic order are Aadya Kaktikar, Arushi Mudgal, Ayona
Bhaduri, Bani Ray, Bijay Sahoo, Devraj Patnaik, Ellora Patnaik, Kaustavi Sarkar, Kavita Dwivedi, Lingaraj Pradhan, Madhusmita
Mohanty, Masako Ono, Niharika Mohanty, Pabitra Kumar Pradhan, Puspita Mishra, Rahul Acharya, Rajashree Chintak Behera,
Rajashri Praharaj, Rajika Puri, Ramesh Chandra Jena, Rekha Tandon, Sandhyadipa
Kar, Saswat Joshi, Saswati Garai-Ghosh, Shibani
Patnaik, Shipra Avantica
Mehrotra, Shreelina Ghosh, Sonali Mishra, Sreyashi Dey, Vishnu
Tattwa Das, Yudhistir Nayak and several others around the world.
