Representing rural Orissa
SARAT CHANDRA
|
Chhau and Changu Nrutya were presented.
|
Orissa is amazingly rich in folk forms, especially folk dances. Recently, two folk dances, Chhau and Changu Nrutya, were presented on a special occasion at the Jayadev Bhaban in Bhubaneshwar on August 11.
The occasion was to felicitate Sri Bhai, a social worker who runs an orphanage in Mayurbhanj district.
A cultural programme followed in his honour. The programme comprised folk dances prevalent in Baripada, and its neighbouring areas. The dance originated from soldiers' camps centuries ago and evolved over the years. Hence its footwork, movements and gestures are all martial and the musical instruments dhol and mahuri also belong to the martial category.
Chhau performances by Baripada artistes are something that one often comes across, but the Chhau performance by Karanjia artistes came as a welcome change. Generally, huge kettledrums provide music for Baripada Chhau, but that evening ordinary drums, sizable though, were used.
The artistes portrayed an episode from the Mahabharata, Dushyanta - Shakuntala. There were altogether 10 artistes, apart from a masked deer. The boys performed first, each with a bow in one hand and an arrow in the other hand. Their dance had stylised movements and body gestures, slow during the initial phase but quite vigorous as it reached its climax. After that the five girls, each with a pot, danced. Finally, there was a combined dance, suggestive of Dusyanta and Shakuntala's union. There were no songs and the instruments provided the music. Similarly, 10 artistes performed the Changu Nrutya. Changu is a simple instrument, played in south Orissa by using two small sticks, but the artistes from the northwest Orissa used hands to play the instruments.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
