Sakhinata

by Dinanath Pathy | March 2016

Sakhinata, the dance of sakhipilas, pre-puberty boys dressed as girls is a prominent dance style of eighteenth and nineteenth century Orissa.¹ It is largely musical, gestural, and acrobatic. It suffered ignominy in the last part of the twentieth century and was branded  erotic and voluptuous with corrupting southern influences. This undeserving remark served as a propaganda to marginalize the sakhinata. In the reconstruction of the neo-classical Odissi dance, the specific contribution of sakhinata was never taken into account with sanguinity while almost all the Odia poems, sung and accompanied by dance of sakhipilas (companion boys), were adopted by the founding fathers of the neo-classical Odissi along with abhinaya (expressional) numbers and specifically its bandhas or hatas (acrobatics). These influences were never acknowledged in public as the properties of sakhinata. The mindset that underminded the contribution of sakhinata emphasized a stern departure from all that had a tinge of southern (dakshini) because Bharatanatyam at that time was claiming to be the mother of all the southern dance forms and therefore Odissi-reconstructors did their best not to accept Bharatanatyam’s too ambitious designs. Unfortunately in this cross-cultural scenario, sakhinata lost its genuine claim.

            Historically speaking, south Odisha was part of Madras Presidency till AD 1936 and it was but natural that sakhinata acquired prominence in the nineteenth century to be influenced by dakshini what is now famously called as Kuchipudi and Vilasini Nrutya.² The precursor of Kuchipudi was Bhagavata Mela Nata. Thishad, a strong male dominance and only boys and young men, constituted the Bhagavata-dance troupes. Kuchipudi in its earlier form stems from the village Kucheli, now in Andhra Pradesh. Most of the male members of the village are dancers. In principle, women were not allowed in dance groups for fear of sexual pollution.³ Later, the importance of male in the role of female in relation to Krishna-bhakti influenced gotipua, a costal counterpart of sakhinata. As a result the gotipua resorted to the devotional rasa dance of Gaudiyavaishnavas. All these dances such as the Bhagavata Mela Nata, early Kuchipudi, sakhinata, and gotipua were performed by boys.

Gotipua dance emerged to dominate coastal Odisha also in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries with its nucleus in Puri town and adjacent villages. The dance basically reflected Gaudiayavaishnava nuances and provided an alternative to sakhinata of south Orissa which was erogenous.³ Modelled on the sakhinata repertoire and composed of hatanata (acrobatics) and abhinaya numbers, with parija (hand gesture), gotipua dance was required to project the devotional face of a sublimated state of bhakti. The idea that Krishna is the only male and all other males attending on him are females justified the sublimated feminine state of the boy dancers. As a result, the vigorous dance postures like Krishna tandava, Durgatandava, and Shiva tandava were taken out of the repertoire and the angularities of the poses and postures were glossed over. The ruggedness and the primitive stances of gotipua dancers inherited from the southern sakhinata groups were given up to accommodate an urban oriented sauve dance which untimely fitted into the Gaudiyavaishnava philosophy.

            With the growing support extended to gotipua dance, it spread to the neighbouring districts beyond Puri on the coastal belt as far as Balasore. Some historical documents are advanced in support of the origin of both the dance forms such as the sakhinata and the gotipua. Krushna Chandra Panigrahi(1960) is of the view that gotipua dance emerged in the sixteenth century during the time of Prataparudra Deva, But his view is contested by D.N. Patnaik (1971)⁴ and Sunil Kothari (1990), who believed that Ramananda Ray was an advocate of sakhibhava and he introduced the custom of the temple dance by boys dressed as girls and not by women as was the custom elsewhere, particularly in south Indian temples. This form of dance should have been termed as sakhinata. The statements of authors about the origin and prevalence of boy dance are contradictory, Priyambada Mohanty Hejmadi (2007)⁵mentions that Gajapati Ramchandra Deva established Satasahi Akhada at Puri for physical exercises as well as for training in music and gotipua dance in the seventeenth century. In the same paragraph she further states that the gotipua dance system flourished in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries when they took tointerpreting lyrics of vaishnava poets for abhinaya. If the gotipua dance as an alternative to sakhinata is accepted as a considered view, its emergence in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries may not be contradicted simply because it is a later date and fails to build an antiquarian myth about neo-classical Odissi.

            The views expressed by Gopal Chandra Praharaj (1928),⁶ the famous lexicographer about the emergence of gotipua are quite significant. Priyambada Mohanty (2007) hails his statement as the best document. Praharaj writes that Kishore Chandrananda Champu (popularly called KishoriChampu) is well known throughout Odisha. The gotipua troupes who cannot sing the KishoriChampu in appropriate raga ragini and with parija are not liked by the public. Praharaj goes on elucidating that after the chhanda (a style of singing only in thai without any antara) period of Upendra Bhanja, GopalKrushna. Banamali, and a few others composed Odissi music. At that time, Ganjam was in Madras Presidency and the music was influenced considerably by Telugu people from Andhra. Further, in music and dance performances, the vulgar dance by prostitutes used to be prevalent.

Praharaj’s statement although considered the ‘best document’ is utterly confusing because he writes, in sangitadala (music troupes), one boy sings and dances. In Utkal, tender-aged good looking boys are dressed as girls who sing, dance, and do abhinaya on pouranika, mythological themes. If these pouranikaabhinetas are more than one, they are known as sakhipila. The boy who sings while dancing is called gotipua’.⁷ As per Praharaj’s understanding, the sakhinata is a group dance whereas the gotipua performances are solos. But the present practice and performances of the gotipuas do not justify Praharaj’s statement. Moreover, gotipua as the single-boy dance to justify its nomenclature is also fallacious.

            The boy-dance tradition, be it sakhinata, Radhapremalila, Krishnalilla, or gotipua, is embedded in a complex structure that confirms to militarism, devotionalism, and eroticism. Before they were standardized as gotipua, pre-puberty boy dancers were known as sakhipilas and natuas. Although these terms are synonymous, each has a significant connotation. Sakhipila may dance solo if required, but basically sakhinata is a group dance in which the main dancer needs to communicate his/her feelings through his/ her dancer or companion. In the next sequence, their role might change and the companion will take the role of main dancer. In the dance parlance, of the present time or terminology, the sakhinata could be labelled as a micro-narrative theatre interwoven with dance and music. Sangitapila primarily is a music boy whose performances solely rest on music and its visual articulation. Akhadapila is a trainee in an akhada (gymnasium), where he practices physical exercises to tone up his body for hatanata. Although an akhadapila could emerge as a dancer he is not specifically meant for sakhinata or gotipuanata. Rather he is treated as a potential character in the local dance structure (natapanjara). Historians are quite vocal about the role of akhada in the evolution of gotipua dance.⁸ Butakhada is not specific to the town of Puri; majority of traditional villages and towns in Orissa have akhadagharas. Without contesting their viewpoint, we would like to emphasize that akhada has more than one purpose. Akhadapila’s role in the Puri Jagannatha Temple undoubtedly served a devotional purpose, but their dance remained peripheral. The akhadapilas or gotipuas were never allowed to dance inside the temple. Even the mahariswho were made famous as dancers in writings of present-day authors were no good dancers. They were bhitaragaunisor temple singers, the emphasis being more on singing than on dancing. Gotipuas perform on religious festivals and in processions like chandanajatra (sandal festival) and jhulanajatra (swing festival). They often dance in temple precincts in groups. During the swing festival, gotipuas and sakhipilas converge and dance together. During this conclave, specifically in mathas of Puri town, one dance form is influenced by the other. It is generally believed that these interfusions taught gotipuas, the abhinaya numbers and sahitya (song) of the sakhipilas in which they were quite proficient and in the process the sakhipilas learned pure dance from the gotipuas which was mostly the resultant of akhada practice. In Ganjam district, in the town of Ganja on Dolapurnima (spring festival evening), several sakhinata troupes perform in a night long revelry on the national highway, even forcing the traffic to take diversions. Akhadapilas (comprising sakhipilas and gotipus) are entertainers and these congregations whether in Puri or Ganja town projected   , their professional character as dancers and therefore it was natural that the southern influences strongly backed by sahitya overpowered the abstract dance. Since the boy dancers dance to the songs composed by poets belonging to south Odisha or as dancers they belong to the south Odisha, they were known as dakshininatuas (southern dancers). The south-north (coastal-east included) divide is quite strong in music and dance. In an all-India context in the field of music, this divide has flourished as two distinct styles such as the Hindustani and Carnatic. In Odishan context, particularly in the case of boy dancers, the south and north divide is quite visible; while the sakhinata is southern-biased, the gotipua dance displays northern influences.

Sakhipilas do not start dance with a chauka as is common with gotipuas and Odissi dancers, instead they stand in samabhanga with their left hand resting at their waists and constantly stamping the right leg on the floor rhythmically to the beat of the tal. It is a common practice for the sakhipilas to dance in duets, while one dancer dances and shows abhinaya, the other stands with his hand at the waist and responds to the moves of his co-dancer. The spirit of the dance is mostly dialectic, one communicating with the other and eliciting his responses and in the process both of them together project the meaning and mood of the song.

            Sakhinata has four basic components, the vandanaor janana, abhinayasaregama, and hata. Vandana corresponds to mangalacharanaand saregama to nrittaor pure dance of neo-classical Odissi. The features such as bandha, thalidance, globe dance and other acrobatic numbers of sakhinata have now been given up. Also there is no more emphasis on the aspects of pure dance. Sakhinata has survived with its highly musical expressional dance.

            The training imparted to sakhipilas is quite rigorous. The dancers get up early before dawn and spend their morning time in svarasadkana. Svarasadhana or the practice of voice modulation is preferred in the cool atmosphere so that the throat gets accustomed to variations. Singing is done between six to seven in the morning followed by the application of mudras in dance. This continues till lunch. In between the dance, boys take a break for bath and breakfast around 9 a.m.

            After lunch, the dancers are allowed rest for half-an-hour or so and are asked to reassemble for padasadhana (foot work practice). For foot work practice, the guru would make the floor wet and ask his disciples to get the floor dry by stumping. At the end of the exercise he would check the mud-stained feet to ascertain his student’s sincerity. To make the dancers smart and have beautiful bodies, the guru would ask the dancers to drink a glass of cow urine mixed with turmeric paste at fifteen-day intervals. This non-conventional drink stimulated the body movements and helped slimming. Each dancer had a notebook wherein he was asked to copy the poems required for dance .The intensive training period continued for a minimum of six months. But this session is repeated when a dancer is found failing.

            The orchestra comprising mardala, gini, and harmonioum play while standing. The harmonium however is placed on a stand. The dancers dance while singing. Sakhinata is abhinayapradhana, histrionics-centric and it has no sanchari for which it lacks dramatization.

Before giving a public performance, the troupe moves to a temple in the village and dedicates the dance to the village deity and as a convention the group performs infront of the house of each participating dancer. The guru is suitably remunerated who receives a number of gifts ranging from rice to gold bracelets, finger rings, and silk dhotis.

The dancers wear Brahamapuri fast colour pata and blouse. They grow long hair and plait it and fix tassels at the end. Fresh flower garlands are also fixed on the plait. They also fix a brass antapatia (waist-band) and put on khasuchains—jigirnanu andjhumpa.

            In spite of neglect and lack of government patronage, sakhinata groups survive and perform in and around Ganjam and Gajapati districts. In a rough estimation, the groups would number fifty to sixty.

Notes

1. The first sakhinata performance was conceived and performed in the court of Paralakhemandi with the strong support of Raja Rudrapratap Gajapati, Lachhamana Bisoie, and Mrudanga Ray. They are considered the founders.2. Hanuman Bhagarthi, Surya Suara who lived in the Kavichandrastreet of Paralakhemandi donned the role of sakhis. Later Tarini Patra, a well-known vinaplayer had propagated this performance and introduced teenaged girls instead of boys in the dance group, Dasarathi Bhuyan, 1998, Lopapaijivaki Odishara Lokanrutya’, PrajatantraSaptahiki, Oriya, Vol. VI, No. 14, pp. 21-7 (June), p. 8. Published from Cuttack, Also refer Dinanath Pathy, 2007, Rethinking Odissi, p. 131, Sunil Kothari, 1990. Odissi: Indian Classical Dance Art, p. 44. Also see D.N. Patnaik 1971,1990, Odissi Dance, p. 77.

   Gotipua dance appears to have originated in the reign of Prataparudra Deva (AD 1497-1540) and gained popularity in the subsequent Muslim period on account of the rigidity of the purdha system which lead to the seclusion of women and made their presence scare on festive occasions, Krushna Chandra Panigrahi in Kala Vikash Kendra Souvenir, 1960, p. 17. Also see Priyambada Mohanty Hejmadi and Ahalya Hejmadi Patnaik 2007, Odissi- An Indian Classical Dance Form, pp. 42-3. And Bhaktivedanta Swami 2003, Sri Chaitanya Charitamruta, Madhyalila, Part. 2, chapters 9-16, pp. 135-6.

3. RamanandaRaya was a devout Vaishnava of this extreme cult and encouraged worship according to SakhiBhava. It was he who introduced the custom of the temple dances being performed by boys dressed as girls and not by women as was the custom elsewhere (Sunil Kothari, ‘Gotipua Dances of Orissa, Sangeet Natak, Vol. 8. p. 32).
4. D.N. Patnaik. 1990. Odissi Dance, p. 74.
5. Priyambada Mohanty Hejmadi, and Ahalya Hejmadi

   Patnaik. 2007. Odissi: An Indian Classical Dance Form, p. 46.

6. Gopal Chandra Praharaj, 1932. Puma Chandra Odia Bhashakosha, Dvitiya Khanda, p. 2304. (Sakhinata— Dancing boy who also sings songs. The dancing boy of the Sangitatroupe—in such Sangita troupes only a boy dances while singing a song). Also see Gopal Chandra Praharaj, 1940, Puma Chandra Odia Bhashakosha, Saptama Khanda, p. 7988. (Sakhinata—Dancing boys in the garb of girls. Sakhipila—The boy who dances as sakhi or dressed as woman in Ramalila, Bharatalila, Krushnalila, and the like).
7. Ibid.
8. D.N. Patnaik, 1990. Odissi Dance, p. 76, Also see Sunil Kothari, 1990. Odissi: Indian Classical Dance Art, p, 44 and DinanathPathy, 2007. Rethinking Odissi, p. 130.

References

Hejrnadi, Priyambada Mohanty and Ahalaya Hejmadi Patnaik.

2007. Odissi: An Indian Classical Dance Form, New Delhi;

Aryan Books International.

Kothari, Sunil., 1990. Odissi: Indian Classical Dance Art,

Mumbai: Marg Publication.

Swami, Bhaktivedanta, 2003.Sri ChaitanyaCharitamruta,

Madhyalila, 2nd Part, Bhubaneswar: Bhakti Vedanta BookTrust.

Patnaik, D.N., 1971 [1990], Odissi Dance, Bhubaneswar: Orissa

SangeetNatakAkademi. Pathy,

Soubhagya (ed.) 2008.Sakhinata, Southern Precursor of

Neo-classical Odissi, Bhubaneswar, Angarag Publications.

Pathy, Dinanath, 2007.Rethinking Odissi, New Delhi: HarmanPublishing House.

——. 2008. ‘Sakhinata: Angarag’s Passion Project’, in

SoubhagyaPathy (ed.), Angarag, Bhubaneswar: AngaragPublications.

Panigrahi, K.C.. 1960. Souvenir, Cuttack, Kala Vikash Kendra.

Praharaj, Gopala Chandra, 1932. Puma Chandra Odia Bhashakosa (Oriya). Cuttack: the Author and Compiler.