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Odissi and Yoga: The
Divine Connection
Yoga means union of the soul (atma) with the cosmos, or the Supreme (Brahman). Trimurti - the Trinity
- is a concept in Hinduism where Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are looked at as the creator, preserver and
destroyer respectively. The image of Nataraja represents the god of gods, Shiva, as the Lord of the Dance, choreographing the eternal dance of the universe. Shiva is also Yogiraj, the supreme Yogi, who is said to have created
more than 840,000 asanas, among them the hatha
yoga poses we do today. The Hindus believe that Shiva taught Odissi dance
to a beautiful Apsara (a heavenly dancer), Manirambha. This dance was practiced by temple dancers and many elements of Natya Yoga (Dance Yoga) have been preserved in Odissi. Odissi is considered to be a form of yoga because it focuses
on connecting physical energy with spiritual strength. Yoga and
Odissi dance share similarities in form and posture. Like Hatha Yoga, Odissi movements ultimately transform the tumult of the unquiet mind to the focused calm of meditation.
Odissi: 2000 years of history
Odissi is one of the eight
classical dance forms officially recognized by the Indian Academy of Music, Dance and Drama. Probably the oldest surviving
dance based on archaeological evidence, Odissi traces back to the golden rule of King Kharavela (2nd century BC) who ruled
Orissa, a state in eastern India. Odissi has been mentioned in ancient inscriptions and has been depicted in sculptures that exist in famous temples like the Sun Temple in Konark. The
flowing movements and graceful poses of the dance bring to mind the breathtaking beauty of Orissa's temple sculptures.
Odissi blends tandava and lasya (masculine and feminine
energies) through fluid hand, eye and torso movements and exciting rhythmic footwork. The dance tries to capture emotions
of love and passion while keeping the performance soft and lyrical. Odissi has a very distinct style and uses a series of
bhangis or poses. Tribhanga, three-body bends, have a vast range of movements which gives one the illusion of
the sculptures coming to life. The fluid, graceful movements are punctuated by moments of stillness when the dancer
poses as if she were a sculpture. These poses have their roots in yoga.
Nilanjana Banerjee
Starting
at the tender age of eight, Nilanjana took her first steps toward a lifelong journey in Odissi under the tutelage of the renowned
Odissi revivalist, Guru Mayadhar Raut in India. She learnt Bharatnatyam for a few years at Bhatkhande Hindustani Sangeet Mahavidhalaya.
Over the last few years, Nilanjana has been performing Odissi extensively in the NJ / NYC / PA area.
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