PRANATI
An Obeisance (2021)
PRANATI — An Obeisance
A performance of Odissi is a journey to transcend the tangible into the realms beyond, through ecstatic physical and emotional explorations. Sensitively and aesthetically strung familiar rituals evoke surrender and humility, offer celebration of form and sensuality, and unlock inhibitions into higher peaks of contemplative and heightened awareness.
A traditional repertoire thus becomes a celebration of the being and the universe.
Part I - MANGALACHARAN
A string of auspicious rituals. Invocation of the presiding deity of Odissi, Lord Jagannath, obeisance to the mother earth, salutations to the Gods, Gurus, and the audience. Within these rituals is a prayer to the Godess Maatangi, who is at once a beloved daughter and the mother of the universe, the epitome of beauty, sensuality and compassion, a divine artist and a mighty warrior. She, the feminine principle who governs the play of creation.
Part II - SHANKARAABHARANA PALLAVI
A cluster of musical notes flower into a haunting magical melody. The Odissi body begins a subservient journey responding to the multilayered melodic nuances and the intricate rhythmic flourishes in Raag Shankaraabharana.
Part III - BATTU
Sculptural reliefs of the temple walls of Konak emerge one after another expanding each frozen moment into sequences of rich movement motifs. This dance is an embodied archive of the revival and reconstruction of Odissi dance.
Part IX - DASHAAVATAAR
The universe is said to reflect the entirety of the omnipresent, the all pervasive Infinite. Dashaavataar is a poetic reminder to honour every animal species: Aquatic (Fish), Reptiles (Tortoise), Mammals (Wild Boar), and the mysteriously formed super human (Lion Faced Man). The song at ones inspires awe for the impaired beings (A Dwarf), a sage turned murderous (Parshuram), as well as the Noble Man (Rama), the Farmer (Balarama), the enlightened (Buddha), and finally the approaching ominous leveller of all (Kalki).
Dashaavataar is an excerpt from the Geet Govind composed by Poet Jayadeva in 1200 AD.
CREDITS
A Chitrakaavya Dance Presentation
Original Choreography - Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra
Reimagined by Bijayini Satpathy
Dancers - Akshiti Roychowdhury and Prithvi Nayak
Musical Composition - Pt Bhubaneswar Mishra
Lighting & Stage Design - Sujay Saple
Cinematography - Eshna Benegal and Bornil Anurag
Video Editor - Eshna Benegal
Music - Recorded in Orissa by Artists of Orissa
Video filmed at Bangalore International Centre
Pranati is available for licensing by qualified professional and pre-professional dance companies around the world and is conceived as a duet. Please contact us for more information should you have interest in presenting this stunning piece.
Photo credit: Shalini Jain
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