Tucked away in
Odisha
’s pattachitra village,
Raghurajpur
, are
gurukuls
where teachers hone the
Gotipua talent
of the future. During a visit, TOI finds the old system of learning still holds sway
Before the clock strikes 4 in the morning, the children are up rubbing their drowsy eyes wishing for a few more minutes of nap. But the wake-up call of their gurus and senior boys cannot be ignored.
Slowly rolling up their beds and dusting those, each ambles out for morning ablutions.
In an hour, they are ready for their vocal practice, exercises,
dance training
and oil massage. “The massage is done by senior boys only in winter and rainy season with sesame oil as it makes the body strong and flexible. Gotipua dancers must be strong enough to bear the load of other dancers during different formations,” said Basant Kumar Moharana, director, Abhinna Sundar Gotipua Nrutya Parishad.
After that it’s time to get ready for school and off they go after a sumptuous breakfast that often consists of moong sprouts and grated coconut, again to give them strength. After school, the hours are devoted to games and studies till late in the evening when it is time for two hours of dance and vocal practice. The evening practice is devoted to ‘Abhinaya’. It’s followed by freshening up and dinner before they are done for the day and tucked into bed.
That is the daily routine of many boys and a few girls who want to learn Gotipua and must live with their gurus in their households after their parents decide to do so or they are chosen by the gurus. They go home only during school holidays, or their parents come to visit them at times.
Parental wishes are not the only criteria to get a place in these gurukuls. “For a month, the gurus test the physical fitness of these boys and their inclination to learn the dance. Only after the gurus are convinced, are the boys permanently taken in. Most students in my gurukul are from poor families. Parents leave them with us so that they learn a trade for a livelihood,” says Batakrushna Das, a guru at Dasabhuja Gotipua Odishi Nrutya Parishad that is currently home to 13 dancers in the age group of six to 15 years.
The children stay in the gurukuls till they pass their Class X board examination. The gurukuls manage all their expenses like food and board and education. After that, they either enrol in Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya or in some other courses. Twenty-two-year-old Ramanuja Sethy continues to dance with the group. “The respect and appreciation that I get after each performance is very endearing,” says Ramanuja, whose mother had admitted him to the gurukul when he was just seven years old. “Most of the children come from very impoverished families and their parents leave them with us so that they learn a trade to earn their livelihood when they grow up,” said Batakrushna, who is also the grandson of late Maguni Das, the doyen of this dance.
Despite the rigorous routine, the children engage in different games. Ten-year-old Arjun Parida from Puri, who has been learning Gotipua for three years, loves cricket the most and starts smiling ear-to-ear for being able to watch India’s win in the T20 World Cup. Arjun with his two friends and twins Luv and Kush Marandi (nine years) from Jajpur district’s Duburi often match steps and direct the younger boys, as the trio have been at the gurukul a bit longer. Leadership apart, like all kids, they love ice-cream and often wait for their share of a delectable dish that is cooked by the women members of the guru’s household.
During their stay in the gurukul, where their gurus and their families also reside, the children learn the minutest details about Gotipua. “We even teach them to make their own ornaments that they have to wear during the performance,” says Basanta, who is himself a third generation Gotipua dancer. Basant’s five siblings are also into the dance form as well as his 11-year-old twin sons. Currently, they have 23 dancers staying with them.
Funding is of utmost requirement to keep the tradition alive. “My father, Gotipua guru Maguni Das, sold off his land to keep the tradition alive. Though many powerful people have visited our village, nothing much has been done to give us financial assistance,” said Sebendra Das, secretary of Dasabhuja Gotipua Odishi Nrutya Parishad. Guru Maguni Das passed away in 2008, four years after he received the Padma Shri.
Most dancers from Raghurajpur have performed in India and abroad. Very recently, some dancers from the village were sent by the state govt to perform in Dubai and Bahrain. And those who haven’t, want to go. “I have performed in Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi. I want to go abroad on a flight,” said Ramanuja, with dreams of flying high in his eyes.
English (US) ·