GOTIPUA: BEAUTIFULLY BALANCED PORTRAYAL OF MASCULINITY AND FEMINEITY

Lost in the majestic and graceful classical dance extravaganza on the poetic sands of Konark, enthralling classical beats by musicians, and mystic music of the sea, I came across the captivating dance form "Gotipua" for the very first time. The hypnotic effect of the dance form teleported me to a different world. At that moment, I knew I had to pen down this beautiful dance form so that people would know more about it.

Gotipua (in Odia, goti means single and pua means boy) is the traditional dance form of Odisha that reflects both grace and muscle power simultaneously. The boys below the age of 14 dress as females to praise Lord Jagannath and Lord Krishna. Their dance can be described as a perfect infusion of acrobatics into the age-old classical dance form of Odissi (especially tandava with a hint of lasya). Gotipua is viewed as sui generis because of the use of difficult and astonishing human pyramids accompanied by bandhas, which are complex body postures.

The boys usually have long hair, which they transform into a beautiful bun decorated with flowers. They apply dark lines of kajal around their eyes to make themselves more expressive. They also apply a large red dot on their forehead, accompanied by beautiful patterns of sandalwood paste drawn around the bindi that extend to their cheeks and nose, giving them the appearance of a mystic Devi. The use of a red liquid called Alta around their palms and feet adds a wow factor to their divine look.

Traditionally, the Gotipua dancers wear a shiny and bright blouse called-kanchula. Along with it, they use a patta sari that is divided into two equal halves and draped around the legs and upper body and then tied in the middle of the navel; while the shiny embellished pallu of the saree is tied in the middle in the form of a wide frill. An embroidered silk cloth called nibibandha is tied around the waist. But in the modern age, they now prefer wearing a ready-made costume to save time.

The Gotipua dancers use specially designed beaded jewelry like a wide matha pati around the forehead, neckpieces, armlets, waist bands, ear ornaments, and bracelets. Thick ghungroos with more than 50 metallic bells each strung together around both feet to resonate with the rhythm of the charismatic dance.

Every piece of jewelry, costume, and ghungroo are sacred entities for the dancers, and they offer their homage before wearing them.

Gotipua gained popularity in the 17th century under the patronage of Rama Chandra Dev (Bhoi Dynasty), after the fall of Mahari or Devadasi culture in the 16th century. Gotipua is widely regarded as the mother of Odissi because it played an important role in preserving the beautiful and sacred dance of the Devadasis.

But with the rising popularity of Odissi, Gotipua is gradually losing its charm to a large extent. Gotipua is currently marginalized among Odissi's growing fan base, most of whom are unaware of its origins. Hence it will be apt to say that Gotipua, once an originator of Odissi, is now facing the threat of its offshoot. The absolute rawness of Gotipua makes it a unique dance form and segregates it from Odissi. Every individual must respect and promote this rawness in order to keep it alive in the face of rapid change.

I can definitely assure you that a single gotipua performance would surely leave you spellbound, and you will try your best to popularize it in every possible way, just as I tried to share my experience by scribing about it and sharing it with you all.