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Odissi: The oldest surviving classical art form of India

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The divine concept of nature and the credo of Indian line of thinking transfuses the dance techniques.

Dance was a ritual form of worship in temples. The principles of Indian classical dance are derived from the Natya Shastra by Bharatamuni. 

Creation of Natya Shastra according to Bharatmuni:

According to Bharatmuni, Natyashastra claims its origin from Lord Brahma. He says it was Brahma who, on perceiving the growing desire, greed, jealousy, anger, and misery in the world, went into meditation and created a fifth Veda, which was, the Natyaveda, representing the essence of the existent four Vedas.

The intellectual content of the Rig-Veda, the music of the Samaveda, abhinaya or mime from the Yajurveda and the rasa from the Atharvaveda have been brought together in the Natyaveda to embody moral and spiritual truths. This proves that the classical art form is meant not just to entertain but also to instruct and inspire discipline and righteousness.

Odissi, the oldest surviving tradition:

For centuries, Odissi dance and music have been a tradition in Indian society. The Odissi dance is said to be the oldest existing classical form of art. It is one of the pre-eminent classical dance forms of India which originated in the Hindu temples of the eastern coastal state of Odisha in India.

History: 

The age-old tradition of Odissi dance form is manifested from Hindu temples in Odisha and various sites of archaeological significance that are associated with Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism, the sculptures of which adorn dance postures of this art form. 

A form of illustrative anecdote of mythical and religious stories, devotional poems and spiritual ideas emoted by dancers with excellent body movements, expressions, impressive gestures and sign languages, its performance repertoire includes invocation, nrita, nritya, natya, and moksha. This dance form includes themes from Vaishnavism and others associated with Hindu gods and goddesses like Shiva, Surya and Shakti.

The antiquity of this dance form is evident from its roots that trace back to the ancient Sanskrit Hindu text called ‘Natya Shastra’ which deals with different forms of Performing Arts. The dance was traditionally practiced as a sacred ritual to ignite transformation in the dancer and audience. Considered both a classical and devotional dance form, Odissi is graceful and sensuous, expressive and sophisticated.

How is Odissi performed:

The art form portrays the beauty of the sacred feminine, and reflects the ancient spiritual motifs of India’s great tantric temples. Odissi has undergone major transformations throughout the centuries.

Odissi Dance is highly technical, featuring intense footwork, elaborate hand gestures, and captivating upper body movements. This drama-dance involved women (Maharis) enacting a spiritual poem or a religious story either in the inner sanctum of a Hindu temple, or in the Nata Mandira attached to the temple. 

Three primary dance positions in Odissi:

Samabhanga: the square position, with weight equally placed on the two legs, spine straight, arms raised up with elbows bent.

Abhang: the body weight shifts from side to side, due to deep leg bends, while the feet and knees are turned outwards, and one hip extending sideways.

Tribhanga: is an S-shaped three-fold bending of the body, with the torso deflecting in one direction while the head and hips deflecting in the opposite direction of the torso. Further, the hands and legs frame the body into a composite of two squares (rectangle), providing an aesthetic frame of reference. 

And just like the other classical dances of India, Odissi too includes Nritta (pure dance, solo), Nritya (dance with emotions, solo) and Natya (dramatic dance, group).

However, in the present time the Dance has made a quantum leap from the temples and courts of India to the stages and theaters of the world. In its modern incarnation, Odissi Dance is highly technical, featuring intense footwork, elaborate hand gestures, and captivating upper body movements.

Despite the drastic change in the environment, the Dance has preserved it’s devotional roots and maintained its’ spiritual depth.

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