What is Gotipua dance? The folk tradition that inspired Odissi

When you talk about Odisha, Raghurajpur is a place that inevitably features on your list. Apart from being deemed as an art village and a cultural pocket of the State, did you know that it also serves as the epicenter of this centuries old dance form called Gotipua? Those knowing about Bengal’s Jatra are familiar with the fact that men used to dress up as women and perform, similarly in Gotipua dance, men dress up as women and dance their heart out. While Odissi is more commonly associated now with Odisha, Gotipua is still very much relevant and practiced in the interiors of the state. If you travel to Odisha, make sure to spend as day in Raghurajpur admiring the powerhouses of talent, its residents are.

How did Gotipua come into existence?

Before Gotipua came into existence, back in the 16^th century, young Mahari dancers were girls dancing in temples to the divine rhythm. With time, as the tradition of Mahari dancers started getting lost, young boys entered the training and started performing instead. The complete transition from Mahari to Gotipua is said to have been sometime under the rule of Ramachandra Deva, the Bhoi King. It was done to preserve ancient temple rituals and not break the practice of celebrating spiritual divinity.  

Breaking down the word Gotipua, it translates to Goti meaning one and pua means boy. Despite the name means one boy, a Gotipua dance is always performed in a troupe at least 7 to 10. Young boys between the ages 6 and 15 are trained in flexibility, strength, yoga, balance, music, singing, acrobatics and abhinaya (expressions). All these come together through rigorous training to make up the dance form called Gotipua.

One might here ask the crucial question of why take boys and not girls? Interestingly, young boys were chosen for these performances whose facial construct still resembled those of a girl. Their youthfulness allowed them to be more flexible than girls and yet perform with the same grace and divinity.

What is the essence of the Gotipua dance?

Gotipua Dance was performed for Lord Jagannath and thus naturally, stories from Krishna’s life were woven in the dance sequences. The young boys dressed as Gopis and presented acts of devotion to Lord Krishna. A traditional Gotipua Dance includes Bandha Nritya or acrobatics were performers make complex formations displaying strength, balance and flexibility; storytelling and embellishing the performance with colourful costumes, music, dance and singing.

The costumes are elaborate made with bright silk like pink, violet, orange, yellow, green etc. The make-up includes thick kohl, hair decorations, alta, forehead painting while the jewellery comprise local beaded ones and ghunghroo. Each performance is accompanied by singers and musicians who play instruments like flute, cymbals or mardala or the performers themselves sing their parts.

Is Gotipua connected to Odissi?

If one is to divide the traditional dance styles chronologically then one would find that gotipua becomes the passage between Mahari and Odissi dance forms. Many of the legendary Odissi dancers were trained in Gotipua first. Some signature moves of Odissi like the Tribhangi (three-fold), storytelling, footwork that match rhythm, devotional narratives, are all imbibed from Gotipua. While Odissi flourishes among notable classical dances across India, Gotipua is getting lost from the pages of history with time. Very few boys train to become Gotipua dancers. Lack of motivation, awareness, and financial woes drive people to look for better opportunities returning to this art form as a side hustle rather than a full-time devotion.   

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