About Swagatika

Since last 15 years Swagatika following the foot steps of Padmabibhusan Guru Sri Kalucharan Mohapatra in SRJAN institution and learning dance from Guru Kalucharan, Ratikanta & Sujata Mohapatra.She have been highly acclaimed by delivering dance in the various programs instituted by Guru Sri Kalucharan Mohapatra. She is also a good choreographer & teacher in Odissi and Same classical dance. She have inborn interest and passion of learning dance and perfected it to its logical conclusion. She has completed her Post Graduation degree in Odissi Dance from Odissa Sangeet Natak Academe. She had delivered fine and charming dance in different festivals and institutes across of India also international festivals.

Origin and history of Odissi Dance

The first clear picture of Odissi dance found in the Manchapuri cave in Udayagiri which was carved at the time of king Kharavela. Flanked by two queens Kharavel himself was watching a dance recital where a damsel was performing dance in front of the court with the company of female instrumentalists. Thus Odissi can be traced back to its origin as secular dance. Later it got attached with the temple culture of Odisha. Starting with the rituals of Jagannath temple in Puri it was regularly performed in Shaivite, Vaishnavite and Sakta temple in Odisha. An inscription is found where it was also engraved that a Devadasi Karpursri’s attachment to Buddhist monastery, where she was performing along with her mother and grand mother. Thus it proves that Odissi first originated as a court dance. Later it performed in all religious places of Jaina as well as Buddhist monasteries. Odissi, was initially performed in the temples as a religious offering by the 'Maharis' who dedicated their lives in the services of God. It has the most closer resemblance with sculptures of the Indian Temples.^[4]

The history of Odissi dance has been traced to an early sculpture found in the Ranigumpha caves at Udaygiri(Odisha). dating to the 2nd century BC. Thus Odissi appears to be the oldest classical dance rooted in rituals and tradition. In fact, the NãtyaShãstra refers to Odra Magadhi as one of the vrittis and Odra refers to Odisha.^[5]