ODISSI REPERTOIRE

ODISSI DANCE

Odissi dance is one of the eight classical dance forms of India. The graceful lyrical dance form is known for its sculpturesque poses from the ancient temples of Odisha. The dance upholds the Jagganath tradition and the Vaishnav culture.

ODISSI REPERTOIRE:

1. MANGALACHARAN is the first dance item presented by the dancer on stage where the dancer invokes for the blessings of their favourite deity usually the Lord Jagganath or Lord Ganesha, the bestower of good luck and prosperity. In the Mangalacharan, the dancer enters the stage with a handful of flowers for the Manchapravesh, seeks the permission of Mother Earth to dance on her through Bhumi Pranam, and then bows the supreme god, guru and audience.

 A. MANCHA PRABESH is the entrance of the dancer on the stage in pushpanjali hasta with a handful of flowers. Hear the dancer proceeds towards the stage to offer the flowers to Lord Jagannath and proceeds with the performance.

B. BHUMI PRANAM, a dancer is connected to Mother Nature and draws inspiration from it. So before starting the dance practice or performance, a dancer usually bows down to mother earth and give her salutations asking for her pardon for stamping on her throughout the dance.

C. VANDANA, Eulogy of Gods has been presented with the recitation of “Sloka” (Hymns) after “Bhumipranam”. Bandana is the salutations to the God, seeking his blessings for a good dance presentation and for the smooth flow of the event from the beginning to the end of the programme or the event. The Bandana is offered to any particular deity, on which the shloka is based.

D. SABHA PRANAM, 

Towards the end, the dancer concludes the dance presentation with three salutations. These three salutations are justified in ‘Natyashastra’. The first one is presented on top of the head for acknowledging the presence of all the Gods. The second one the Anjali hand gesture will be placed in front of the face –for acknowledging the presence of our Guru   the teacher and the third is placed in front of the chest towards the audience. It is purported to excuse the dancer if there would be any fault in the presentation of art.

2. BATU is the foundation dance item of Odissi and is a pure dance made of the two basic postures of Tribhanga and Chowka. This beautiful dance form depicts the dancer holding various instruments like the Veena, Manjira, Flute, Mardala. This dance piece is a tribute to Lord Batukeshwara, a form of Shiva who is the creator of dance.

3. PALLAVI is a pure dance form of Odissi dance where the music and the dance both unfold like blossoming flower. The pallavi doesn’t have a meaning as such but it based on a particular Raga and makes use of the postures of the Utkal temples. 

4. ABHINAYA brings forth the artists calibre as a dancer as they express various emotions in an Abhinaya. An Abhinaya is a piece of dance which is a narrative description of any mythological story usually based on episodes from the Gita Govindam. It makes use of the various Rasas. 

5. MOKSHYA is the concluding dance item of odissi where the dancer seeks salvation. Here the dancer uses every beat of the percussion which ends with the Devishloka