Orissa, on the eastern sea-coast of India, is the home of the highly sensuous and lyrical form of dance called Odissi. This state is famous for its temple, the Konark, dedicated to the sun god, the Jagannadh temple of Puri and many more. The main features of the dance are its postures and sculpturous positions, closely relating to the sculptures of the famous temples of Orissa. The Odissi dancer bends the hips And sways the torso in curves and flexion known as ‘Tribhangi’ (TempleBend)And ‘Atibhangi’ ( Semi-circular bend) from the Torco dowmwords.
Orissa, on the Eastern sea coast, is the home of the highly sensuous and lyrical form known as Odissi. Like Bharatanatyam, it was intended to be performed in temples as a religious offering by Maharis or devadasis. It has an intensely emotional and lyrical structure and consists of literary compositions on the Krishna theme, the staple being the 12th century poem Geet Govinda by Jayadev. Nritta and Nritya or evenly balanced in a recital.
Odissi throbs with motifs reflecting sculptural design. Odissi is a dance of love and passion, tender and intense. Inspired by temple carvings, its poses are statuesque at vibrant.
Costume of Odissi is simple and colourful. Ornaments will be in silver colour unlike Bharatanatyam which will be in gold colour.
Several treatises on Odissi written between the 16th and 19th centuries and countless other references point to the fact, that three classes of dancers were performing the style of dance. The dances of Maharis in the temples were basically ritualistic. The Nartikis performed in the royal court and for the general public at the traditional festivals like Vasantotsav. From around the 16th, another class of dancers called Gotipua began to dance for the general masses.
Owing to extreme change in social values and gradual withdrawal of royal patronage, the Nartikis were the first to disappear from the scene around the later part of the 19th century. The Maharis continued to dance in the temple of Lord Jaganath at Puri till the 4th decade of this century, but this dance has so much decayed that it was more a ritual than dance. It was the Gotipua class of dancers who continued the tradition but their dance had become so full of popular appeal that the classicism of dance had been diluted.
Odissi for centuries had been a solo dance. Now under the name of innovation group
performances are being presented.
