In the words of Utkalamani Gopabandhu Dash "The contribution of Odisha to Indian Culture as a whole is as much as India's contribution to World Culture. However, unlike in other States, there is complete reflection of Indian Culture in the culture of Odisha". And today's Culture is a by-product of the ancient tribal and folk culture inclusive of performing arts like music, dance and theatre which are the basic tenets of folk-tradition. The most significant features of 'Folk' dance & music are: (a) absence of fixed grammar (unlikemargi/shastriya/classical) (b) absence of documentation (c) oral transmission from person to person, generation to generation and (d) spontaneity and freedom for impromptu improvisations during the performance itself. They are born of the village civilisation/tradition and are intimately associated with the mass religious culture of the people as evident from the numerous 'Brata' (Vows) 'Fasts (Osa)' & 'Restivals' (Parba-Parbani) observed in our State.
Odisha is a storehouse of folk music, dance and theatre, typical of its geographical divisions like the coastal belt, forest-clad hilly areas, valleys etc. From the songs of the plough-man, the buffalo boy, the cartman, the snake-charmer, the Yogi to the songs of spinning, husking (corn), grinding wheat or grams, games & lullabies. Keluni & Baunsarani' songs, songs of festivals (Raja, Kumar Purnima etc.) the prayer songs (Janaana) Jhumar and Sambalpuri songs and even Weeping songs ('Kaandana' associated with marriage)-. Fold Dance & Theatrewise, from the wide range of 'Samaaja' 'Suaanga & 'Leela's (Radhakrushna, Bharata, Raasa, Rama etc.) to Sambalpuri Dances, Jaatraa, Prahlad Nataka, Danda Nata, Moghul Tamasa, Shital Shasthi, Chaiti Ghoda & Ghumura Naata, Chhow Dance, Sahi Jatra, Paalaa, Das Kaathia and so on, the soil of Odisha has been throbbing with music and dance for centuries.
Despite the intrusion of 'mod' culture, the electronic media and the glamour of urbanisation causing largescale migration of rural youth to cities the tradition of folk and tribal performing arts has sustained itself, thanks to the efforts of a dedicated few in the rural areas and committed partrons in the cities. Needless to say that considerable efforts by the State government and the art minded people of Odisha have to be made to keep this glorious tradition alive.
The Odisha Sangeeta Naataka Akademi has been striving to arouse cultural awareness among the masses by not only organising programmes on performing arts throughout the State but also by bringing out publications from time to time to serve this noble cause. An attempt has been made in this volume to highlight some of the forms i.e. folk music, shadow-puppet theatre, the Chhow Dance, Danda Naata and Mughal Tamasaa etc. prevalent in different parts of the State. The Akademi hopes to continue such efforts aimed at revival, preservation and propagation of our rich folk art tradition.
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