The Odissi performance by male students of Guru Bichitrananda Swain at the India Habitat Centre the other day was a fitting answer to all those who are prejudiced against male dancers. Classical dance is not an easy path to pursue for boys in the one field where women usually have the upper hand today. In the old days, men were not only revered gurus and performers but in many cases, the dance form was not even open to women. Today the balance has tilted in most cases to the opposite extreme. It is not just current societal biases boys have to contend with. It is also true that many gurus (whether men or women) — willing as they may be to take on male students — do not, it seems, make much of a distinction in the style, approach to and repertoire of dance by taking into account the differences in the male and female body. The dance teaching looks geared to girl students, and boys are in unfair competition in such an environment. But on day two of “Purusha Suktam”, presented by Odissi Natyasala to feature Bichitrananda Swain's choreographic works, all such grievances were swept away in an evening of vigour, masculine grace and dignity, the likes of which one has rarely been treated to.
While day one featured the guru's female disciples as well, including Anita Babu, founder of Odissi Natyasala and prime mover behind the event, it was the second evening, devoted entirely to the boys, whose rarity claimed one's attention. The dancers were Lingraj Pradhan, Amulya Kumar Balabantay, Bikash Kumar Nayak, Abhaya Kumar Parida and Rashmi Ranjan Barik.
While it was pleasing to see several rigorously trained young men executing both the nritta and abhinaya portions with strength, poise and grandeur while maintaining the grace of lasya, the other striking feature of the programme was the fine choreography. Guru Swain's work reflects a refreshing departure from the stereotyped calendar art-like images that have become so common in choreographing mythological themes. With staggered entries, use of diagonals, division of groups into all possible formations, symmetry juxtaposed with asymmetry and avoidance of predictable repetition, the aesthetics quotient was high. Also, the choreography reflected a thought process and philosophy that went beyond spatial design. So it was no mere showpiece of well-honed dancing. The dancers as well as the music portrayed mood effectively.
The opening piece, mangalacharan, was a dedication to the sun. Images such as the sun's rays and the chariot apart, the complete Surya Namaskar of yoga was included in the choreography. The piece ended with the dancers in an inward facing circle — very effective.
Another striking work was the abhinaya solo, “Karna Banama Krishna”, performed by Lingaraj Pradhan. Here the poignant story of Karna the tragic hero of the Mahabharat was recounted, as Karna, his chariot wheel mired in the ground, faces Krishna unflinchingly but with unutterable sadness, knowing he will be shot while unarmed and defenceless by Arjun under Krishna's directions. He recalls the injustices he has faced all his life and proudly states he has never wavered from dharma. Lingaraj gave an intense and sustained portrayal, while the choreography, music and poetry combined to make it a riveting piece.
Tala Madhurya by the group of five was a fine display with never a loose end. “Devi”, dedicated to the Mother Goddess, which was the culminating presentation, though excellently executed, was the one place where calendar-type images appeared. There was the many armed Devi with dancers lining up in formations commonly seen. When a group lines up from front to back of the stage, one just knows they are all going to extend their arms at different angles. Here, the boys also lined up and tilted their heads at different angles. However, the final freeze was dramatic, and the amalgam of yoga asanas with nritta postures, along with an underlying current of bhakti, won the day. It was a truly satisfying performance.
Considering Odissi Natyasala is a Delhi organisation, the poor audience turnout was disappointing. While audiences can be augmented by inviting schools, etc., this was a show more dancers ought to have seen.
