Orissa
has a glorious tradition of music.The figures or dancers musicians Carved on
ancient temple walls speak of Orissa's rich musical heritage. There were saint-poets
of Orissa who composed lyrical poems to be sung. Bards usually went from place
to place singing these songs which were meant to propagate religious ideas in
various religious. instructions were usually given by the poet himself as to
how the lyric was to be sung, i.e. the raga or tune to be employed and the tala
or beat scheme to be followed.
By the 11th Century AD folk music or Orissa existing in the form of Triswari,
Chatuhswari, and Panchaswari was modified into the classical style.
Odissi Music is a classical form consisting of all the necessary ingredients
common to Hindustani and Karnatic Music, such as rags and tala Jayadeva' was
the first Oriya poet who composed lyrics meant to be sung and thus the words
of those Lyrics were musical to start with. In addition he indicated the classical
ragas prevailing At the time in which these were to be sung. Prior to this
there was the tradition Of chhandas which were simple in musical outline.
From the 16th century onwards Treatises on music were written or compiled
in Orissa. They were Sangitamava Chandrika, Gita Prakasha, Sangita Kalalata
and Natya Manorama. Two treatises namely, Sangita Sarani and Sangita Narayana
were also written in the early 19th century.
Odissi sangita is a synthesis of four classes of music, i.e. dhruvapada, chitrapada,
chitrakala and panchal, described in the above-mentioned texts. The dhruvapada
is the first line or lines to be sung repeatedly. The use of art in music is
called chitikala. Kavisurya Baladeva Rath, the renowned Oriya poet wrote lyrics
which are the best examples of chitrakala. Chitrapada means the arrangement
of words in an alliterative style. All these were combined to form the style
peculiar to Odissi music. Chhanda (metrical section) contains the essence of
Odissi music. The chhandas were composed combining bhava (theme), kala (time),
and swara (tune) The chaurisha represents the originality of Odissi style. All
the thirty-four letters of the Oriya alphabet from 'Ka' to 'Ksha' are used chronologically
at the beginning of each line. A special feature of Odissi music is the padi
which consists of words to be sung in druta tala (fast beat). Odissi music can
be sung to different talas: navatala nine beats), dashatala(ten beats) or egar
tala (eleven beats).
Odissi ragas are different from the ragas of Hindustani and Karnataki music.
The chief Odissi ragas are Kalyana, Nata, Shree Gowda, Baradi, Panchama, Dhanashri,
Karnata, Bhairavee and Shokabaradi.
Thus we see, that classical Odissi music lacks nothing in grammar, rhetoric
or composition to compare with Hindustani or Karnataki styles. It owes much
to Jayadev, the saint-poet, the great composer and illustrious master of classical
music.
The greatest exponents of Odissi music in modern times are the late Singhari
Shyamasundar Kar, Markeandeya Mahapatra, Kashinath Pujapanda, Balakirshan Das,
Bhubaneswari Misra and Shymamani Devi. Who have achieved eminence in classical
music include among others Sunanda Patnaik.
Odissi Dance : Odissi dance is the typical
classical dance form of Orissa and has its origin in the temples. The rhythm,
the bhangis and mudras used in Odissi dance have a distinctive quality of their
own. Odissi dance deals largely with the love theme of Radha and Krishna. It
is a lyrical form of dance with its subtelety as its keynote.
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Chhau Dance : Chhau is an ancient dance
form. It originated in the mock fights of the Oriya paikas (warriors) who fought
rhythmically to the accompaniment of indigenous music instruments The highly
Stylised Chhau dance of today follow the basic principle of the Natya Shastra
of Bharat Muni and the Abhinaya Darpana of Nandikeswara
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Mahari Dance : Mahari Tradition of the
Sri Mandira is the beautiful Parijata flower of art an history of Utkal. It
also makes living by its fragrance and the touch of nationl. It has been doing
so far from the time immoral. It has made the art of Utkala glorious Mahari
tradition is the same and one union of Lord Jagannath and great Nari Mahari.
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Folk Dances : The Jatra. Pala and Daskarhia
represent important aspects of Orissan folk culture form an integral part of
the lives of the rural folk. Today television s these programmes, thus making
the city people conversant with these folk art forms. Jatra, corresponds to
folk theatre. It is the enactment of a play with a cast and comprises music,
dance, acting, singing and dramatic conflict.
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