‘Nobody inspired me’

Manpriya Singh 

It’s only as much as you can improvise a 2,500- year-old art form. 

“Odissi as a dance form started in Jagannath Temple in the state of Odisha. The dance form (along with music) was an intrinsic part of the daily ritual of offering prayers to God,” Odissi dancer Geeta Mahalik, in Chandigarh for the third edition of National Classical Dance Festival, fills in the gaps for a beginner on the ancient art form. 

Keeping in mind the northern sensibilities, she will be performing Mangla Charan, starting with Jagannath Stuti, moving onto Krishan Leela and Ram Stuti, all fitted into a total of one-and-half hours of performance. “There will be a total of six performers on stage.” 

The artiste…

A Padma Shri and born and brought up in Odisha, the dance form has been an integral part of her life ever since she can remember. Maybe even before. “I cannot even recall when and how I got interested in Odissi. No one either inspired me or forced me. All I have wanted to do was to express myself through dance.” 

She adds, “Even till today, whenever I dance I never feel or imagine in front of the audience, entertaining them. I feel I am inside Jagannath Temple offering prayers to God.” 

Bollywood, stay at bay! 

While there is no dearth of appreciation that the art form commands but perhaps, patronization from Bollywood might accelerate things commercially. 

“No way, all Bollywood industry cares about is the box-office and how to impress the audience. In the process, the art is diluted to the extent of being unrecognizable.” 

She adds, “I have seen a few Bollywood numbers and their depiction of classical dance forms, it ends up looking more like a belly dance. Even the costumes, they tamper with.” 

Having said that, there is no denying that Odissi has evolved over several hundred years of its existence. “Style can’t be improvised at all, but the themes on which it is performed can be improvised.” 

At the end of the day, “Classical dance is a classical dance, folk dance is a folk dance and western dance, a western dance. There is replacing one for the other. But Odissi stands apart because it is a really beautiful and graceful form of dance.” 

To perform at Tagore Theatre—18, Chandigarh on June 24, 6.30 pm onwards.