| Bharata lila |
|---|
 Guru Santosh Kumar Padhi plays the duari |
| Medium | Musical theatre |
|---|
| Originating culture | Odia culture |
|---|
| Originating era | Nineteenth century (present form) |
|---|
Bharata Lila is an Indian performing theater form of Ganjam district of Odisha. The plot is based on characters of the Mahabharata, thus the name of the form. Because of the importance of a central character Duari, Arjuna's sentry, it is also called Duari Nata or Duari Llla. [1] The focal point of the plot is the story of Arjuna & Subhadra's romance, which is why it is also known as Subhadra Harana. [2] Apart from Ganjam, it is also performed in some parts in western Odisha. The play is known for its effective use of humour within the traditional storyline. [3] A regular performance of Bharata Lila in the 21st century goes on for about 10–12 hours. In the last century performances used to last for a couple of days at a stretch. The badi is a performance method in Odisha's traditional artforms where opponents compete with each other. In urban settings, Bharata Lila performances are regularly condensed to just 2–3 hours owing to lack of time. [4] [5]
The plot is based on Odia poetry written by the poet Dinabandhu Dasa, mostly in the chhanda form of Odissi music. While Dinabandhu's version of the play was written only in the 19th century, older forms of the play used to be in vogue even before him. The subject matter has been dealt with extensively in Sarala Dasa's 15th-century Odia Mahabharata as well as Upendra Bhanja's ornate epic-poem Subhadra Parinaya. Dinabandhu's narrative greatly derives from these retellings of the Mahabharata episode. Medieval Odia literature, including the Odissi songs of poets Dinakrusna Dasa, Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja, Kabisurjya Baladeba Ratha, Gopalakrusna Pattanayaka are also employed in relevant situations. Classical Odissi music is freely interspersed with folk music. The characters of Bharata Lila are Arjuna, Subhadra, Satyabhama from Mahabharata, and a central character "duari" which is absent in the epic. [1] The ensemble of Bharata Lila comprises a mardala, gini, jodinagara, ghuduki and harmonium.
Odia literature is literature written in the Odia language, mostly from the Indian state of Odisha. The modern Odia language is mostly formed from Tadbhava words with significant Sanskrit (Tatsama) influences, along with loanwoards from Desaja, English, Hindustani (Hindi/Urdu), Persian, and Arabic. Its earliest written texts date from around 1000 CE. The earliest Odia newspaper was Utkala Deepika, first published on August 4, 1866.
Kabi SamrataUpendra Bhanja was a 17th-century Odia poet-composer of classical Odissi music. He is most known for his Odissi songs and kabyas written in the Odia language, primarily Baidehisa Bilasa, Labanyabati & Koti Brahmanda Sundari.
Odisha is one of the 28 states of India, located in the eastern coast. It is surrounded by the states of West Bengal to the north-east, Jharkhand to the north, Chhattisgarh to the west and north-west, Andhra Pradesh to the south and south-west. Odia is the official and most widely spoken language, spoken by 33.2 million according to the 2001 Census. The modern state of Odisha was established on 1 April 1936, as a province in British India, and consisted predominantly of Odia-speaking regions. April 1 is celebrated as Odisha Day.
Odissi music is a genre of classical music in India, originated from the eastern state of Odisha. The traditional ritual music for the service of Lord Jagannatha, Odissi music has a history spanning over two thousand years, authentic sangita-shastras or treatises, unique Ragas & Talas and a distinctive style of rendition.
Guru Mayadhar Raut is an Indian classical Odissi dancer, choreographer and Guru.
Guru Pankaj Charan Das (1919-2003) was an Indian classical dancer, choreographer and the Ādi Guru of Odissi dance. He is known as the 'Father of Odissi dance'.
Prahallada Nataka is a traditional play native to the Indian state of Odisha. It narrates the story of Vishnu's man-lion avatar, Nrusingha or Narasimha, through over 200 songs based on almost 30 ragas of Odissi music. The play is based on a text by Raja Ramakrusna Chhotaraya, King of Jalantara, a small kingdom in former southern Odisha, now in the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh.
Gouri Kumar Brahma was an academician, literary critic, orator and writer. His works are mainly in Odia and Sanskrit. He was popular for his talks on Jagannath culture and literature of Upendra Bhanja in Odia, English Sanskrit and Hindi. He died at Bhubaneswar.
Dasakathia is a traditional Odia folk art. It is a performing art widely performed by local or travelling performers within the state of Odisha.
Mardala is a classical percussive instrument native to the east Indian state of Odisha, traditionally used as the primary accompaniment in Odissi classical music. The instrument is different from other instruments that might have similar names in the Indian subcontinent due to its unique construction, acoustic features and traditional playing technique.
The Gitaprakasa is a 16th-century musical treatise belonging to the tradition of Odissi music, written by the musicologist Krusnadasa Badajena Mahapatra. Mahapatra was a court musician of Gajapati Mukundadeba. It is the second earliest music treatise discovered from Odisha. The Gita Prakasa is one of the cornerstones of the Odissi music tradition and is widely quoted by later authorities such as the Sangita Narayana.
PanditRamhari Das is a leading singer, composer, musicologist and Guru of Odissi music. Known for his renditions, compositions, lecture-demonstrations and writings, Das has served as a professor and led the Odissi vocal department in prominent musical institutions of Odisha, including the Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya and the Utkal University of Culture. He is the founder of Ramhari Das Odissi Gurukula at Biragobindapur, Puri. For his contributions to Odissi music, Das received the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 2008.
AcharyaTarini Charan Patra was a renowned Odissi musician, Guru, singer, scholar, poet, composer & Binākara. One of the most eminent artistes of Odissi classical music in the 20th century, he was known for his vocal renditions & Bina recitals on gramophone records & over the All India Radio, as well as his pioneering efforts in institutionalizing the training of Odissi music by setting up one of the earliest music universities in erstwhile Odisha, the Gandhiji Sangita Kalamandira at Boirani, Ganjam that remained active from 1940 until Patra's demise in 1979.
Shyamamani Devi is a Odissi classical music vocalist composer. A disciple of Gurus Singhari Shyamsundar Kar and Balakrushna Dash, she is known for her popular renditions of classical Odissi music, such as Odissi, Chhanda, Champu, etc. authored by medieval Odia musician-poets such as Upendra Bhanja, Kabisurjya Baladeba Ratha, Banamali Dasa, Gopalakrusna and others. She is also known for her renditions of light music such as traditional Odia folk music and adhunika songs. In 2022, she was awarded the Padma Shri for he contributions to Odissi music.
Dhanasri is a rāga belonging to the tradition of Odissi music. Falling under the meḷa of the same name, the raga uses komala gandhara and komala nisada swaras and is traditionally associated with the karuṇa rasa. The raga is mentioned in treatises such as the Gita Prakasa and Sangita Narayana.
Gujjari is a rāga belonging to the tradition of Odissi music. Falling under the meḷa Karnāta, the raga uses komala gandhara, komala dhaibata and komala nisada swaras and is traditionally associated with the karuṇa rasa. The raga is mentioned in treatises such as the Gita Prakasa and Sangita Narayana. Among its angaragas, Mangala Gujjari is most prominent and has been used by Jayadeva in his Gita Govinda, alongside Gujjari itself.
Ramakeri is a rāga belonging to the tradition of Odissi music. Falling under the meḷa Barādi, the raga uses komala rusabha, komala dhaibata and tibra madhyama swaras and is traditionally associated with the karuṇa rasa. The raga is mentioned in treatises such as the Gita Prakasa and Sangita Narayana. This raga has been used by the 12th-century Odia composer Jayadeva in his Gita Govinda.
Baradi is a rāga belonging to the tradition of Odissi music. Falling under the meḷa Barādi, the raga uses komala rusabha, komala dhaibata and tibra madhyama swaras and is traditionally associated with the karuṇa rasa. The raga is mentioned in treatises such as the Gita Prakasa and Sangita Narayana. This raga has been used by the 12th-century Odia composer Jayadeva in his Gita Govinda along with its angaraga Desa Barādi.
Kedaragouda is a rāga belonging to the tradition of Odissi music. Falling under the meḷa Sri, the raga uses both nisada swaras and is traditionally associated with the srungāra rasa. This raga is considered a conjunct of the rāgas Kedāra and Goudā. The raga is mentioned in treatises such as the Gita Prakasa and Sangita Narayana. The most famous song in this raga is from the Kisorachandrananda Champu, a composition of Kabisurjya Baladeba Ratha.
Sri is a rāga belonging to the tradition of Odissi music. Falling under the meḷa of the same name, the raga uses komala nisada swara and is traditionally associated with the melancholic karuna rasa. The raga is mentioned in treatises such as the Gita Prakasa and Sangita Narayana. Among its angaragas, Dhanasri, Bangalasri, Karunasri, Malasri, Madhusri, Dakhinasri are well-known.
