Odissi Obsession

I discovered Odissi when I saw it performed at Vasanth Habba- a dusk to dawn dance and music festival held annually in Nrityagram on the outskirts of Bangalore. Surupa Sen and Bijyani Sathpathy performed two Odissi pieces. I was completely captivated. Somewhere in the back of my mind I wanted to learn more about it and maybe even learn it. That was in February of '99. But I found my teacher, Asako Takami, 2 years later in Berkeley. My friends Brinda and Akanksha had both started learning with her and had really good things to say. By then my love for Odissi had overcome all my fears of learning a dance that people usually start learning when they are 10 or 12 years old, at a ripe old age of 28. I always joke about how a then 28 year old woman had to come all the way from India to Berkeley to learn Odissi from a Japanese teacher. Only in Berkeley!

Learning Odissi is one of the best things that has happened to me.

One of the biggest things was probably the discovery of my feminine side. Though with time I have discovered that its basic forms -- the chauka and tribhangi have helped me invoke both the male and the female energies in me.

I also don't feel guilty about not working out health club style. The bland, sweaty aggressive atmosphere never did it for me. A sun filled studio, lyrical music and beautiful movement is more my style. The movement is also intense and requires building strength especially in the legs. It works out your body (even your eyes!) and your mind.

It's the best way to spend a Sunday morning. Before I started Odissi classes I would sometimes spend the whole day lying in bed watching bad television. Now I get out of the house, ride my bike to class, dance for at least an hour and a half and then ruin everything by eating at Viks!

Learning Odissi also found me Anirvan. I met him through Chaitee who I met at dance class.

In April one of the most influential figures of Odissi, Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, passed away. I regret that I never saw him perform but I am thankful that I had the chance to meet him on my last trip to India.

In April I also had my first performance with our newly formed dance group, the Pallavi Dance Group. But that is not the culmination of my learning as anyone who practises any art form would know. It is only one little step towards Moksha.