Dance evokes joy and passion even in the dullest and
shiest of people anywhere in the world. In Orissa, dance
takes the form of worship where imprints of Lord Jagannath and mythology are for all to see - in the
narrative, the verses, the music, and even the costumes.
Dances of Orissa are in fact celebration of life as a
gift from God.
Odissi Dance is prominent of all dance forms
in Orissa and is the most graceful and energetic
classical dance form in India where the intricacies of
the narrative are communicated through delicate
gestures, symbolic poses and expressive face movements.
In particular, the Chauka pose forms the foundation of
Odissi dance and is derived from the balanced figure of
Lord Jagannath.
Devdasi used to
perform this dance behind closed doors of the temples to
appease Lord Jagannath, whom they were chosen to serve
through their dance and devotion. The
Gotipua, or male
Odissi dancers, were the ones responsible for bringing
the dance out into the public after centuries of
obscurity. The Gotipuas form of Odissi dance and the
tableaux of Odissi dancers carved on the walls of
temples such as Konark, Brahmeswar and Puri Jagannath
are responsible for resurrecting Odissi dance that could
have been easily lost with the ruins of the temples in
Orissa.
Tours
to Orissa are incomplete if you do not attend a Odissi
dance recital in Orissa.
Manglacharan, Batu, Basant Pallavi, Dus Avatar and
Mokshya will leave you spellbound with its
energy, grace and beauty.
Chau is a war dance
with firm roots in martial arts
tradition of Orissa. Performed by men, its raw power and
energetic movements, the interplay of attack and
defense.
Kathi Nacha (stick
dance), Medha Nacha
(mask dance), Naga Nacha
(Snake dance), and Puppet Dance
known as Kandhei (Sakhi
Nacha) that are based on stories from mythology, are
some of the prominent folk and tribal dances that are
worth the time spent at the show on your tour to Orissa.
