GAUDIYANRITYA

Gaudiyanritya is the classical dance form of Bengal. it originates from Gauda also known as Gaur in Bengal (near India-Bangladesh border). The story of this dance form is scattered in the literature, sculptures and guru-parampara tradition of Bengal. in fact classical dance practiced in Bengal from very early age.

Swami Prajnamananda says, Bengal was in practice of classical dance during 6th-10th century CE. We get the evidence in kalhanas Rajtarangini which was described that when Jayapida the king of Kashmir came to visit Paundravardhana (presently in North Bengal), saw devadasi Kamala was dancing in the kartikeya temple and her dance was following Bharata’s Natyasastra. King jayapida was an adroit in Natyasastra for which he could understand that, Kamala was conforming Natyasastra.

In Sage Bharata’s Natyasastra the description of make-up have been followed by the dancers of Gaudiya Nritya. According to sage Bharata there are four types of dance practiced in India Dakshinatya, Panchali, Avanti and Odramagadhi. The Odramagadhi style of dance is practiced in Gaud or Bengal. So we get so many evidences by which we can say Bengal had a dance form over the ages.

In the 15th century Sri Chaitanyadeva added a new dimension to the dance form of Bengal. He danced along with his devotees. He started playing drama full of dance, music, instrument and dialogues. He used make up for different characters. He is known as the father of Kirtana. He started dance with Kirtana and playing Mridanga and karatala. From the time of Sri Chaitanya it is called Kirtana-Nritya.

In the modern time the dance form of ancient Bengal is manifested as GaudiyaNritya, a classical dance form of Bengal by a severe research work of Dr. Mahua Mukherjee. On the 21st September, 1994, according to the advice of renowned historian Prof. Bratindranath Mukhopadhyay, the name GaudiyaNritya was accepted.

Prof. (Dr.) Mahua Mukherjee is a researcher, teacher at Rabindra Bhrarti University and former Dean of the faculty of Fine arts. She is a Fulbright Fellow and also has give performances and lectures at the University of Oklahoma. According to her; Science and Arts are like twins. She explains GaudiyaNritya comprises Chhow which is a heroic dance, Nachni which is Shringer form, Kushan which deals with luv-kush and has its root in the Ramayana and Kirtana, the devotional aspect.

Today GaudiyaNritya is not only patronized by Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India but also got recognized by SangeetNatakAkademy, Delhi and ICCR(Indian council for Cultural Relation). Ministry of Culture provides junior and senior scholarships and fellowships since 1996 . A number of students are doing Ph.D. on GaudiyaNritya under the supervision of Dr. Mahua Mukherjee.

GaudiyaNritya is much enriched culture from the past and till now it is prevailing with the flow of its own style.

About writer:

Ms. Paramita Banerjee is a senior national scholarship and perform GaudiyaNritya for last 11 years. She is a rank holder and gold medalist from various orgranisations by performing GaudiyaNritya. She is the disciple of Dr. Mahua Mukherjee and assist her in lecture demonstration in India and abroad. At present she is working as a research assistant in prestigious Asiatic Society and doing PhD under Dr. Mahua Mukherjee.