COSTUME AND MAKE UP OF ODISSI

Odissi dance, like the other classical dance genres in India, gives great importance to the costume, ornamentation and make-up used in the performance. The classical texts refer movement to angika, voal and sung textual expression of vachika, pure communicative expression or sattvika, and the expression through costume, make-up and ornaments, aharya. Every classical and folk dance form of India reflects the regional character of its performing arts in the local traditions of textile and ornamentation used for the dance. Its silver filigree ornaments and pith flowers are the trademark accompaniments to the dance of Orissa.

Maharis who danced in the temple, typically wore black velvet bodices with the sari wrapped from the waist gown. When odissi began to be presented upon the stage, the sari was first wrapped as a dhoti to a form a divided pyjama, with the decorative end design of the sari, or pallu, spread in front. Over the years, various styles of tailoring the sari into the costume were developed. In one such design, the decorative end of the sari or pallu is pleated and snapped on to the costume so that it fans out as the dancer sits in chouka or square position. A fabric is fastened around the hips from behind, which defines the helpline.

In this costume, the blouse is made from sari material as is the cloth draping the front of the dancer. Various artistes have incorporated several variations on the length or angle of the front fan in design, but the main distinction is a vertically draped front or the knee-to-knee fanned out cloth. The woven sari used for a costume can be from any of the many wonderful traditional styles of the state, especially Sambhalpur, Berhampur and Cuttack. While the resplendent Sambhalpur silk ikats are known for their intricate weaving technique and subtle colour combinations, the Cuttack colours are more contrasting. 

The Berhampur silks are known for their narrow rudraksha borders and stunning combinations. Another style that found favour with many dancers was the Bomkai sarees with their long and delicately woven pallus, which could easily be converted into the fan in the front. The fabric used for costumes on stage is mostly pure silk, though in some cases dancers do opt for baafta, a mixture of cotton and silk pure cotton as well. In the rehearsal practice situation, salwars or churidar pajamas with a half saree reaching just below the knee are the room.

Many costumes include the unique single and double ikat tie-dyed and woven patterns of Orissa which travelled to Southeast Asia from here. Rudraksha bead designs date back to the Harappa civilization and are a frequently found motif on orissa saris, as are the conch shells and fish, among many other designs. Inspired by nature, these kalashs, or the ritual pitcher, temple gopurams complete with the flag, conch shells and several types of fish, which are considered positive energy symbols. Some dancers have also used costumes with the Gita Govinda astpadis woven into them. These saris are not easily available but need to be woven specially, for they are used only for he deities in the puri temple. 

ORNAMENTATION

Odissi classical dance is unique among other classical traditions of India in its use of silver ornaments. The Maharis and odissi dancers through the 1960’s sometimes used gold ornaments near the face and on the hands, through the three-tiered silver belt have been in use much longer. Today, odissi dancers, all use silver from head to waist. The dancer wears a silver tika in the parting of her hair; often with decorate silver chains running from the forehead tika till the ears. The back of the hair bun may have a large silver filigree pin or even a crescent silver wreath over the central pin.

Earrings rise over the entire ear in peacock or geometric designs with large dangling bell-shaped jhumkas. The dancer may wear two to four necklaces and may have silver armbands, wide filigreed bangles and, perhaps, rings on every finger. The silver work comes from the unique tradition of Cuttack filigree in Cuttack district of Orissa.
 



 
In a delicate style, popular far beyond its state borders, it has become part of several southeast traditions as well. The belt of mekhala draped form the waist is usually made with circular silver strung together in the three lines. The jewellery is inspired from the detailed representations on the temples as well as medival oriya texts. The Oriya Mahabharata, written by Sarla Das in the 15^th century, gives a detailed description of Prince Arjuna dressed as Bruhannari during his year Disguised as a dance teacher. Everything from the indigenous silk sari to the bangles and bells, and described in the text.

Abhinaya Chandrika, the Sanskrit text specifically on Oriya dance, delineates in great detail in the make-up, costume and ornaments of the danger. It specifies a brightly colored nine-yard sari, generally in red or green made of indigenous silk, a brightly coloured, bejeweled Kanchula or tight-fitting blouse, the apron of frills slirting the hips and draping in front, called Nibiandha, and a belt with tassels tied at the waist, called Ajhoba. This quite accurately describes the costume worn by the maharis at the Jagannath temple in Puri but the costume worn by the odissi dancer on the stage today is closer to that worn by the Gotipus or young male dancers who had been performing outside the temple over the last few  100 years. Many of the ornaments described in the Abhinaya Chandrika continue to be used in the dance as well as in daily life. A dancer can certainly use fewer ornaments than mentioned in the text. 

HAIR STYLES

Among the elaborate hair designs seen on the temple sculptures of Orissa and described in Abhinaya Chandrika, the most commonly used style is a kind of hair-knot at the back of the head with a pushpucuda. Pulling the hair back and trying it at the back of the head, then pulling the hair through, around, and over a large ring to give fullness to the shape, creates the beautiful hairstyle.

This is occasionally combined with a braid of hair plaited down the back, if the dancer chooses to follow the mahari tradition. The hair is well-secured to withstand the vigorous movements of the dancer during a performance. The art of carving shola pith has been used to create a unique stylization of flowers for the elaborate hairdo of the odissi dancer. The soft, while, inner stalk of the of the shola pith, which grows throughout Orissa and Bengal, Inspires a Unique Regional craft. The Odissi dancer wears Shola Pith flowers around her hair-bun and it is topped with a tiara of shola pith flowers representing the spire of jagannath temple.

MAKE-UP

The make-up developed over the last half a century emphasizes classical images of feminine beauty. The eyebrows should arch, and even curve up at the ends, to resemble the bow from which the “GOD OF LOVE” shoots his arrows. The eyes are outlined with black kajal (kohl) extended far beyond the corners of the eye to resemble a fish with a tail. The red bindi of kumkum on the forehead is surrounded by white painted designs, representing the sun and moon, or a flower.

The hair-curl, spiraling on the cheek in front of the ear, is also standard in odissi make-up for the stage. Alta, a red natural dye, outlining the feet and on the palms of the hands and fingertips, completes the make-up. The alta on the feet is considered to make the feet look like lotus flowers. It also serves to articulate the foot movement for the viewing audience.

The designs drawn are bold, as the consistency of the alta is like water and it does not lend itself so easily to very detailed painting on the hands and feet. Besides the idea is to attract the audiences’ attention to the dancers’ hand and foot movement.