Besides staging Mathura Vijaya and Krishna Leela during the 11-day Dhanu Yatra beginning January 6, the organisers have this year decided to highlight the dance form of Sabda Nrutya and Shakti worship at Chausathi Jogini temple in Ranipur Jharial of Balangir district.
Even though the dance form and the cult are looked at separately, very few know that both have close links as the dance form depicts Tandava dance of the Shakti cult.
Believed to have evolved by Shakti and Tantra influence, Sabda Nrutya failed to adapt to change in time and hence is on verge of extinction.
Specific to village Kumbhari in Barpali block of Bargarh district, the dance form is practised only by men and requires tremendous physical fitness with equal emphasis on facial expression.
It is said that Sabda Nrutya is the crude form of Odissi and evolved through Gotipua. The fact that the two vital arms of Odissi are Bandha Nrutya and Sabda Nrutya speaks about the dance form which maintains a perfect balance between physical, mental and spiritual aspects of dance.
In absence of patronage, Sabda Nrutya has missed out on the process of alteration, modification and evolution. But the tradition of Sabda Nrutya is still alive and the villagers practise it even now.
Taking the dance form to a different level, 65 girls of Vikash School here will perform Sabda Nrutya on the theme of Chausathi Yogini temple. The dance will be performed on the second day of the Dhanu Yatra.
Similarly the Chausathi Jogini temple speaks about Tantrism flourishing in the area along with Vaishnavism, Buddhism, Shaivism and Shakti cult.
Both the dance form and the shrine of Tantrism are lying neglected and an effort is made by the organisers to draw the attention of the State Government and the people to the richness of the culture in this part of the State, said Convener of campaign committee of Dhanu Yatra Surendra Hota.