Odissi

Odissi is one of the eight classical dance forms of India. It originates from the state of Odisha. Odissi is a highly inspired, passionate, ecstatic and spiritual form of dance with a history of almost two thousand years. Like most of the South Indian classical dances of India, Odissi has its origin in the Devadasi tradition, where it was initially performed in the temples as a religious offering by the ‘Maharis’ who dedicated their lives in the service to the Divine.

The state of Orissa has a great cultural history. The rulers of the region built many magnificent temples, which became the centres of art and culture. It was around these temples that Odissi Dance was born. It remains a conundrum whether the dance is inspired by the timeless beauty of the temple sculptures, or the sculptures depict the celestial grace of the dancers.

Although initially, Odissi was not considered one of the main classical dances of India, its antiquity has been traced to an early sculpture found in the Ranigumpha caves at Udaygiri, Orissa dating to the 2nd century BCE. Thus, Odissi appears to be the oldest classical dance rooted in rituals and tradition of ancient times. In fact, the *Natya Shastra* refers to *Odra Magadhi* as one of the *vrittis* and the word *Odra* refers to Orissa.

A performance of Odissi gives the impression of a soft lyrical style, highly spiritual and powerful. However, behind such grace, the movements are rigorous and challenging to execute with control and precision. The balance of stasis and dynamics is at the core of this style. Most of the *abhinaya* compositions are based on the Radha-Krishna theme. The Astapadis of the *kavya* ‘Gita Govinda’ written by the Saint Jayadev are an integral part of its repertoire. The beginning pieces are dedicated to the God of Orissa, Lord Jagannath, who is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Traditional Odissi Repertoire Consists Of:

• Mangalacharana
• Battu Nrutya Also known as Sthayee Nrutya
• Pallavi
• Abhinaya and
• Moksha