The Southern Eastern Style- Odissi

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Odissi may probably be one of the oldest classical Indian dance forms, based on archaeological evidence, the most notable of which being the Rani Gumpha caves in Orissa, dating from the second century B.C. The Natyasastra mentions regional variations, one of which is the eastern-southern form known as the Odhra Magadha style, which may be traced back to the Odissi of today. The Orissa caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri are the first stone records of the historic period. Between the second century B.C. and the fifth century A.D., Orissa was home to many kingdoms, Buddhist, Jaina, Shaivite, and others. Although it is not certain if they were coincident with the compilation of the Natyasastra. Recent excavations at Ratnagiri and Lalitagiri have yielded rich archaeological evidence that supports the theory that dancing or the dance image was as popular among Buddhist monument sculptors as it was among sculptors at Udayagiri, the Rani Gumpha, and the Hathi Gumpha caves.

Odissi is largely influenced by the Maharis and Gotipua dance traditions. The Maharis, or dancing females, dedicated their life to Lord Jagannath's devotion. In the seclusion of the temples, they practised this sacred craft. Young guys costumed in feminine costume, known as Gotipuas, performed the dance in public. Royal support began to dwindle from the 17th century. The dancers fell out of favour due to a lack of funding and status. Only in the 1950s did academicians and revivalist Gurus embark on a vast project to recreate Odissi.

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In terms of technique, Orissi dance adheres to the Natyasastra tradition's essential ideas as well as the methodology of movement delineation detailed in Orissa's Silpasastras, such as the Silpaprakaslia and the Silpasarani. It considers the human body in terms of the three bhangas, which allow for deflections of the head, torso, and hips. The body is divided into two equal halves, and the method is based on an uneven weight distribution and a weight transfer from one foot to the other. Head, torso, hips, and knees movement units are just as significant here as they are in other traditional Indian dance traditions. A hip deflection is a distinguishing aspect of this dance technique, which is nearly a taboo in other classical styles.

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The dvibhanga, which may be observed in Bharatanatyam on occasion, is heavily stressed here. One of the most common stances in Orissi dance is the tribhanga, which is rarely seen in other classical styles. One half of the lower body remains static along the centre plumb line in the tribhanga of the Nataraja figure in South India, while the other leg generally crosses the first, as in the karanas of the bhujangatrasita type. Foot contacts are comparable to those used in Bharatanatyam, with both flat and toe-heel touches being used. The Natyasastra foot postures of toe touching the ground (kunchita) and heel stomping the ground (anchita) are utilised often. However, the Kuditta mitta sequences only employ the combined toe-heel movement typical of Bharatanatyam on rare occasions.

The dancer opens an Odissi recital with Manglacharan, an invocation prayer to the goddess. The Battu follows, a fast-paced Nritta composition dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Lord of Dance. Pallavi is next, in which the dancer aligns her footwork to the pakhawaj. Pallavis are based on the Indian Classical Music System's several ragas. The Abhinaya is performed by Odissi dancers to Sanskrit or Oriya music. Abhinaya is the art of utilising facial expressions and hand movements to communicate a tale.

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Sources- Kapila Vatsyayan. INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCE. Publications Division. Kindle Edition.

NATYASHASTRA by Bharata Muni, translated into english by Manomohan Ghosh