Natya India Cycle at the Quai Branly Museum, Paris, France
"Since the 16th century the young gotipua boys of Orissa have represented in their dances the androgynous nature of divinity. Their acrobatic and fragile childhood is dedicated to Lord Krishna, the mischievous shepherd who seduced Radha with his divine flute, balanced on one leg. Their destiny is to embody the divinity in the closed universe of the temples, a world of incense, offerings and incantatory chants".
Recorded by Arte LIVE WEB channel on saturday 12th of June 2010
Dance Director: Basanta Kumar Moharana
Film Director: Christophe Bellemain
Production: Zaman Production | Alain Weber | Jean-Hervé Vidal
Quai Branly Museum : Catherine Montlouis-Félicité | Margot Chancerelle
ARTE LIVE WEB website
Abhinna Sundar Gotipua Nrutya Parishad (Raghurajpur) website
Abhinna Sundar Gotipua Nrutya Parishad is a traditional Gotipua gurukul founded ten years ago by Sri Laxman Moharana. It is located in the Heritage Village of Raghurajpur, 15km from the city of Puri, Orissa.
Puri is one of the oldest cities in the eastern part of India. It is situated on the coast of the Bay of Bengal and is considered a holy place of pilgrimage in India. The Jagannath Temple from the 11th century is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath (Krishna). Puri is famous for its annual Rath Yatra, or "Festival of Chariots", when the deities Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra, are brought out of the temple, and placed in a chariot procession.
The Dance Institute is directed by the young, but very talented Guru Basanta Kumar Moharana (25yo). Basanta and his younger brother Susanta have spent their childhood learning the gotipua dance in the school of the famous Guru Maguni Das in Raghurajpur Village.
The gurukul was created to come back to a traditional scheme, where the boys receive the intruction fully residential with the Guru. Basanta is the guru and dance director ; he is too a harmonium player and vocalist. Belonging to a Pattachitra (traditional painting from Orissa) family, he is an artist painter as well. But he is a spiritual leader too, as the intruction of the Gotipua dance cannot be dissociated from the cult to Lord Jagannath.
Their website was launch in April 2010 and was the first website only dedicated to Gotipua dance:
The website has some interesting information about the Gotipua dance:
In the photo gallery, you will find the explanation of some figures of Bandha Nrutya (acrobatic dance):
Abhinna Sundar Gotipua Nrutya Parishad
(Abhinna Sundar Gotipua Dance Institute)
Director: Guru Basanta Kumar Moharana
Raghurajpur (Heritage Village)
P.O. Chandanpur - 752012
District Puri - Orissa - India
Tel: +91 (99) 37 15 82 43 / +91 67 52 21 10 05 / +91 98 61 60 25 38
Email: basanta@gotipua.com
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