An Indian Art

Kathakali, a religious dance-drama tradition, originated in Kerala,

Prashanth | 5:13 PM | Kathakali

Kathakali

Kathakali, a religious dance-drama tradition, originated in Kerala, in southern India. Kathakali literally means enactment of stories. Traditionally it is a male dominated performing art practiced by the warrior caste. The style evolved in the 17th century from techniques derived from Sanskrit classical text, regional ritualistic folk theatre and traditional art forms that included dance movements, facial expressions, elaborate hand gestures, music, theatre and martial art. The transformation of human actors into the shape and personality of gods, titans and demons of the netherworld is unique to Kathakali making Aharya Abhinaya (enactment of stories, while dressed in the assumed get-up of the mythological characters) the basis of the dance form. The art of Kathakali make-up has profound undertones of feeling and mood associated with it. It is cultivated, not only with great skill and care, but almost as a ritual, so that through this prolonged process, which begins several hours before the performance, the actor will grow into the symbolic character he is to portray through a gradual involvement. The gestural language of Kathakali is a grammatically complete language of hand symbols equivalent to speech. Stylised eye movement is a technique unique to Kathakali. Ayurvedic massage is part and parcel of the Kathakali training and performance tradition.

Source : nrityagram.org

Odissi takes its name from the state of its origin, Orissa

Prashanth | 5:09 PM | Odissi

Odissi takes its name from the state of its origin, Orissa

Odissi takes its name from the state of its origin, Orissa. Orissa’s interesting geographical position at the exact centre of the eastern border of India, has influenced its culture and tradition a great deal, thus making its dance and music very unique. Though dance originated in Orissa in the 2nd century BC, it was not until approximately 60 years ago that Odissi, in the form it is seen today, was re-invented, re-vitalised and re-defined. Therefore, Odissi is a synthesis of the ancient and exotic and modern and intellectual. Todays Odissi is sourced from Devadasi or Mahari tradition (a tradition where beautiful young women were consecrated to the Gods. They sang and danced in the sanctum-sanctorum of the temple as a part of the sacred worship), Gotipua Nacha (a tradition that was started, to popularise the Vaishnava philosophy, by dressing up young boys as women who sang and danced the devotional poems of Vaishnava poets), and the endless sculptures in various motifs carved on the temple walls of Orissa.

Odissi is the only dance form to have another basic body position besides the centered ‘Plie’ stance. The second stance Tribhangi, literally meaning three bends and inspired by temple sculptures, is the feminine curvaceous sculptural position with the body weight on one foot. Therefore, Odissi creates an illusion of sculpture coming to life. Isolated torso movements, typical to the Odissi style only, help create these curves and therefore an eternal ‘S’ pattern is formed in the body and space.

Source: nrityagram.org

ODISSI oldest surviving dance form

Prashanth | 5:06 PM | Odissi

ODISSI oldest surviving dance form

Odissi is considered to be one of the oldest surviving dance forms based on archaeological evidence. The traditional dance form of Orissa, it owes its origin to the temple dances of the devadasis (temple dancers). Possibly, the oldest classical dance form in the country, Odissi has been mentioned in inscriptions, depicted on sculptures, in temples like the Brahmeswara and the dancing hall of the Sun Temple at Konark. In the 1950s, the entire dance form was revitalised, thanks to the Abhinaya Chandrika and sculpted dance poses found in temples.

Odissi as we know it today is the result of a long process of reconstruction from various dance traditions of Orissa, for instance the Maharis, the Goti puas and the Bhandanritya traditions. Maharis are the counterparts of the Devadasis of the South. Gotipuas are men who dressed as female dancers and danced like the Maharis.

While the form is curvaceous, concentrating on the tribhang or the division of the body into three parts, head, bust and torso; the mudras and the expressions are similar to those of Bharatnatyam. Odissi performances are replete with lores of the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, Lord Krishna. It is a soft, lyrical classical dance which depicts the ambience of Orissa and the philosophy of its most popular deity, Lord Jagannath.

Odissi is based on the popular devotion to Lord Krishna and the verses of the Sanskrit play Geet Govinda are used to depict the love and devotion to God. The Odissi dancers use their head, bust and torso in soft flowing movements to express specific moods and emotions.

Source: odissi.itgo.com

ODISSI

Prashanth | 4:58 PM | Odissi

ODISSI

Odissi traces its origins to the ritual dances performed in the temples of ancient northern India. Today the name Odissi refers to the dance style of the state of Orissa in eastern India. Like other classical arts of India, this ancient dance style had suffered a decline as temples and artists lost the patronage of feudal rulers and princely states, and by the 1930s and 40s, there were very few surviving practitioners of the art.

The current form of Odissi is the product of a 20th century revival. Dedicated scholars and dance enthusiasts carefully researched manuscripts and studied the sculpture, painting and poetry of the region. They also met and observed the performances of the few existing performers, in order to revive and restructure Odissi as a unique classical dance style adapted to the requirements of formal stage presentation. Over the years Odissi has become one of the most popular classical dance styles.

Like other Indian classical dance forms, Odissi has two major facets: Nritta or non-representational dance, in which ornamental patterns are created using body movements in space and time; and Abhinaya, or stylized mime in which symbolic hand gestures and facial expressions are used to interpret a story or theme.

The divine love tales of Radha and the cowherd God Krishna are favourite themes for interpretation, and a typical recital of Odissi will contain at least one or two ashtapadis (poem of eight couplets) from Jayadeva's Gita Govindam, which describes in exquisite Sanskrit poetry the complex relationship between Radha and her Lord.
The technique of Odissi includes repeated use of the tribhangi, or thrice deflected posture, in which the body is bent in three places, approximating the shape of a helix. This posture and the characteristic shifting of the torso from side to side, make Odissi a difficult style to execute. When mastered, it is the epitome of fluid grace and has a distinctively lyrical quality that is very appealing.

Source: artindia.net