Sabda Nrutya of Kumbhari
Village Kumbhari of Bargarh district is famous for Sabda
Nrutya . Since last two century The dance was in its
original classical form . Late Bhagabana sahu & Bhagabatia
sahu are the major promoter of this dance form .Accoding to
the research scholar Dr Dhirandranath Pattanaik Sabda Nrutya
of Kumbhari is the primitive Tandaba dance form of Odissi
classical dance ( Book : Bharatiya Nrutyakala & Odissi dance
) . Odisi dance based on Lasya where Sabda Nrutya is totally
based on Tandaba . Late Bhagabana sahu (b.24th June 19931)
promote this dance through out Orissa & Chhatisgarh
.Although Sabdanrutya of Kumbhari village was very old its
came to the limelight in the year 1958 in the folk festival
of Western Orissa held at Sambalpur . the than secretary of
culture Govt. of Orissa Dr Dhirandranath Pattanaik was very
much impressed at that time . During the year 1983
Doordarshan (Orissa) first time broadcast Sabdanrutya of
Kumbhari .Sabdanrutya of Kumbhari staged in various places
of Orissa , According to late Bhagabana sahu in an interview
with Sri Surendra Kumar Hota in Navaratna television
,Bargarh his team perform this dance in Sambalpur Nari Seva
Sadan on 26th January 1951. Puri Chandrasekhar college on
26th May 1958 , Janata Rangamancha Cuttack on 17th January
1969 . Prajatantra Bisubha Milan stage on 12th April 1968
etc..
According to late Bhagabana Sahu Sabdanrutya was originated
from the dance of Mahadeva (Lord Siva) Latter on Tanwa the
son of Kanwa Rishi promoted this dance form & it was
popularized as Tandava Dance . Acording to him Sabda Nrutya
can be divided in four part & 4 set of Pallavi in every part
.He also disagree with Dhirendranath Pattanaik statement
that Sabdanrutya is the primitive tandava form of Odissi
Dance . In this interview Sri Sahu stated that Odissi dance
is a female dominated dance , totally based on Lasya where
as Sabdanrutya is a male dominated dance based on Tandava ,
Feet movement & Mudras of Odissi & Sabdanrutya is quite
difference . Equal balance feet movement is observed in
Sabdanrutya . This dance tradition is passes through
generation and generation through Guru Sisya tradition in
this village . As per recoded statement of Late Bhagabana
Sahu in Navaratna Television sti sagu remembers that in his
knowledge in the last century 1st generation Sabdanrutya
gurus are Gangadhar Behera , assisted by Lambobar Dash,
Murali Mahapatra, Late Dhanu Sahu & Zilla Sahu of Kumbhari ,
Similarly 2nd generation headed by Tengunu pradhan , Bihari
Pradhan , Basudev pradhan , Byasadev Pradhan, Kaustubha
Pradhan , 3rd generation leaded by Bhagabata Pradhan ,
Manabhanjan Sahu, Chaitu budek, Panchanan Bhoi& Kambupani
Meher ,4th generation artists are Makadwaja Pradhan,
Rabindra Pradhan, Bhagabata Pradhan, Late Bihari Nayak,
Rushi Pradhan , Purnachandra Patel & Gaura Pradhan , in the
5th generation Goura Pradhan & Jeevana Pradhan were the main
artist,similarly in the 6th generation Jhadeswar Pradhan ,
Satrughna Bhoi ,Alekha Bhoi, Sudarshan bhoi, Dayanidhi Bark
, 7th generation artists are Lokpal Patel, Bisoi Patel,
Jagadish Bhoi , Ketan Sahu, Sribatsa Patra , Gurubana Patel
& in the 8th generation Jagat Behera, Bhagat Behera , Guru
Budek & Narayan Badi are the major artist of Sabdanrutya .
Late Bhakta behera, Karna Behera, Gangadhar Behera ,
Chanchala Behera , Tusan Behera, Shyam Sundar Patel,
Jiendriya Bhoi ,Chaitu Budek, Chudamani Pradan are the
Pakhauj Master of various generation . Late Premraj Dash
,Late Upendra Dash & Late Fakir Mohan Barik were the major
chorographer of Sabdanrutya in Kumbhari village .
According to this interview Sabdanrutya of Kumbhari can
devided in 8 part i.e. Ananda Tandava , Sivashankar Tandava,
Bhairava Tandava , Rudra Tandava, Durga Tandava , Kali
Tandava , Ganesh Tandava & Binayaka Tandava . Out of this
eight Tandava form Bishnu Tandava, Nrusingha Tandava ,
Krushna Tandava & Mohini Tandava form was also found . In
Kumbhari village 16 nos of Swara Nrutya ,10 nos of Akasha
Nrutya , 8 nos of Sabda Nrutya & Astasakhi Nrutya form was
also found . But due to several region these form are going
to be extinct . Lack of public awareness & official
promotion rich cultural heritage like Sabdanrutya of
Kumbhari will a past story in the cultural history of
western Orissa .Origin of Sabdanrutya in Kumbhari village
yet to be discover , One palm leaf Pothi was found with late
Bhagabana sahu .
Down the ages religion has played an important role in
influencing our art and culture. The art scene experiences
change and shapes itself differently according to the
philosophy, doctrine and feeling of the religion. While
dance is considered as an offering to the divine, religions
used this as a medium to express its philosophy. Religion
and dance are complimentary to each other.
Though we see a definite influence of Vaishnavism in Odissi
dance, it is natural that the dance of Orissa must have
under gone the cults like Shaivasim, Buddhism and Jainism.
Because the kings of Orissa were staunch followers of Shiva,
Buddha and Mahavir at passage of time.
During 5th and 6th century the cult of Bauddha, Shaiva,
Shakta and Tantra dharma surfaced in Orissa. Some people
opine that the Bauddha Tantra Dharma evolved from the medium
path of Nagarjuna.It evolved through Mahajana, Brojajana,
and Kalachakrajana and finally took the shape of Shahajia
Dharma. Similarly Shaiva /Shakta Tantra dharma evolved
through Pashupata, Kapalika and Kalamukha sects and emerged
as Tantra dharma. Both Bauddha Tantra and Shaiva/ Shakta
Tantra moved parallel to each other and finally merged to
form TANTRA DHARMA.
Evolved out of this strong influence of Tantra Dharma, Sabda
Nritya is in the verge of extinction. But fortunately still
practiced by few artistes at Kumbhari Gaan, Barapali.
Research scholar Sri Dhiren Patnaik has traced its origin
and discussed about this dance under the caption Sabda
Swarapata in his book Odissi Dance. Late guru Debaprasad Das
has used this style to make it popular.
This dance form demands tremendous physical fitness but also
lays equal emphasis on sensitive facial expression more on
the swatika bhava. A sloka in praise of a deity is recited
rhythmically with synonymous and similar pattern of bols on
percussion. The movements are so vigorous that it makes the
dancer emotional, tired and exhausted. He falls in to a
trance or becomes senseless at the end of the performance.
So this style of dance maintains a perfect balance between
physical, mental and spiritual aspects of dance. Chatura
Damodara and Sri Pandarika Vitthal have also described about
this dance in their treatise Sangeet Darpana and Nartana
Nirnaya.
Sabdas are syllables in praise of a deity describing his\her
valour, beauty and deeds, which are intercepted by musical
notes (swara) and synonymous ukutas (pata). This is
performed to receive the benediction of the deity.
Example
Chaha chaha Chanda, Chanda Besha Chanda munda Binashini
Chaturbhuja- Ugrachanda-Charachara nibashini.
Jhang jhang Jhankari, Tang tang Tankari
Dig Dig Dig Dig
Dhola Sabda Probodhini
Dha gidi gidi Jhe tak jham tak ta
The Dharanis of Tantrik Bauddhas though mystic and difficult
to decipher are written more or less in the similar pattern.
It was a common practice to throw this type of Dharanis in
the chaita to attain salvation
Example
Dhara dhara! Har hara! Prahara prahara! Mahabodhi chitta
dhare
Ma shama ! Prasama prasama sarba papa prashamane! Sarba
Falling in to a trance after the performance can be believed
as an influence of Tantra Dharma. The word Mudra is said to
be brought from the Tantrik cult.
The ancient authors of the music treatise opine Prabandha
has six angas. In the latter years the scholars like Krishna
Das Badajena, also the author of Geeta Prakash accepted four
angas for Prabandha.
They are
BAKYA: the words that narrates the story
SWARA: the sapta swara or the seven musical notes
PATA: syllables like dha dhug dhug - gidi gidi- jhe jham
etc.
TENAKA: auspicious words like nom, tom etc.
Sabda Swara Pata as the name implies has three limbs of
Prabandha and can be considered as a Pabini type of
Prabandha. Incidentally in Manipuri dance Prabandha Nritya
is performed to the accompaniment of Prabandha Geeta.They
also have mukhobol, which can be compared with our sabda
swara pata. In Kathak dance, rhythmic rendition of Kavit
with synonymous bols is prevalent where as the Kuchupudi
dancers perform to the accompaniment of sloka sung
rhythmically along with similar patterns played on the
mridanga in the item Tarangam, when they dance on the brass
plate. Sabda Nritya is also a prominent item in Kuchupudi
repertoire.
To-days Odissi dance is mostly influenced by Vaishnavism.
The addition of Sabda Nritya to the Odissi repertoire will
definitely give it a new dimension and help in the process
of innovation as well as keep the tradition alive. Though
the dance Sabda Swara Pata has lost its glory and the true
technique, it can be revived and polished.
Everything undergoes changes with time. This also happens to
the art scene. The ancient forms undergo much metamorphosis
and evolved as contemporary which again leads the way to
nascent modernism. This cycle continues the past becomes
present, which gives birth to the future. By these processes
of alteration, modification metamorphosis and evolution the
primitive, simple, pristine indigenous arts become
contemporary, complex, polished and sophisticated. But
sometimes it is also lost in the horizon, when the character
of this art form can only be imagined, remembered but
becomes difficult to witness. Fortunately for us the
tradition of Sabda Nritya is still alive. Researchers are
flocking the village Kumbhari of Bargarh district to get
valuable information about this dance form. Many musicians &
dancers have already started to utilize this treasure in
their performances & productions.
