Guru Mayadhar Raut, a pioneer of Odissi, who passed away recently, dedicated his life to refining and popularising the dance form. In this tribute, his disciple, Ranjana Gauhar, reflects on his guidance and lasting impact on Odissi.
The world of Odissi dance has lost one of its most revered gurus. Guru Mayadhar Raut, a legendary figure in the field, passed away recently, leaving behind an indelible legacy. His contributions to Odissi dance are unparalleled, and his teachings continue to inspire generations of dancers. As I reflect on my journey with him, I feel a deep sense of gratitude for the knowledge, discipline, and artistry he imparted to me and countless others.
Today, as I look back on the fond memories of learning the wonderful art of Odissi dance at the feet of my guru Mayadhar Raut ji, I recall how he gave abundantly and taught with immense love and care. Over time, I realised the immense contribution my guru made to the field of Odissi dance and the essential role he played in the lives of his students. He touched my life with his art, transforming my mind completely. I learned the purpose and vision to carry forward and develop his legacy of Odissi, to which he brought his own unique flavour, being one of the foremost architects and practitioners of the dance form.
Since my early years of training under him, I remember gaining vast amounts of knowledge and understanding. We had one-to-one interactions on a daily basis for the ten years I spent learning from him. Each day, he brought a new dimension, a new meaning to my learning—whether it was the Vaishnav philosophy that gave birth to this dance at the Temple of Jagannath Puri or the Geeta Govindam of Jayadeva.
It was because of him that I was able to grasp the core fundamentals and essence of what makes traditional Odissi distinct and authentic. He imparted theoretical, practical, technical, and expressional knowledge of the form as well as its socio-cultural backdrop and history. This holistic approach to his teachings, in a gurukul format, truly broadened my horizons.
From a young performer to a revered master
Mayadhar Raut, was born on July 6, 1930, in Kantapenhara, a small village in the Cuttack district of Odisha.
From the age of seven, he started working in different theatre companies. As a teenager, he joined the Annapurna Theatre, where he met guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and guru Pankaj Charan Das, who taught him Odissi and Mahari dance styles.
In 1952, Mayadhar ji joined Kala Vikas Kendra as its first guru, where his dance classes became very popular. He took the initiative to prepare a structured syllabus, according to which Odissi dance began to be taught.
His sincerity and dedication to his art were acknowledged in 1955 with the award of a scholarship for further study in classical dance forms—Kathakali and Bharatanatyam—at Kalakshetra in Madras (Chennai). Here, he was exposed to deeper studies of the Natya Shastra, Abhinaya Darpana, choreography, Carnatic music, and the notation of music and taals.
During the summer vacations at Kalakshetra, he would return to Kala Vikas Kendra in Cuttack and apply the knowledge he had gained to the development of Odissi. Many renowned artists studied under Mayadhar ji in these summer courses.
Establishing Jayantika
Extensive interactions with gurus of different dance styles and his thirst for knowledge contributed to Mayadhar’s great mastery over ancient treatises such as Natya Shastra, Abhinaya Darpana, and Abhinaya Chandrika. His training at Kalakshetra served as the catalyst in completely changing the approach to hasta mudras in Odissi at Kala Vikas Kendra. He also introduced Sanchari Bhava in Abhinaya, describing it as, “Abhinaya is the ocean, and the Sanchari Bhava are the waves in the ocean, which ultimately settle down in it.”
As the popularity of Odissi grew, Mayadhar ji realised the necessity of forming an association to provide a more structured and systematic framework for Odissi, leading to the establishment of Jayantika in 1957.
This set the platform for Odissi to emerge as one of the most attractive and sublime dance forms of India. Around 1964, Odissi was officially recognised by the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi as a classical dance style of Odisha and of the nation. The rest, as they say, is history.
In July 1967, when Mayadhar ji came to teach Odissi in Delhi, the audiences of the national capital were largely unaware of this classical dance style, posing a serious challenge. However, his dedication and artistry soon garnered admiration and respect.
Greatly impressed by his work, art patron Sumitra Charat Ram invited him to teach Odissi at Bharatiya Kala Kendra, New Delhi, where he became the first guru to establish an Odissi department in 1970.
Mayadhar ji was widely acclaimed as a versatile Odissi guru, and his contribution to the art form was lauded by the cultural fraternity, critics, and scholars of dance and music.
On several occasions, D N Patnaik (Secretary, OSNA) invited him to Odisha as an examiner to conduct the final exams of Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya students. His abhinaya mesmerised everyone and established the fact that he was among the most competent masters of Odissi and a skilled teacher.
Many of India’s leading Odissi dancers were his disciples, including Kiran Sehgal, Geeta Mallick, and myself, Ranjana Gauhar, all of whom are Padma Shri and Central Sangeet Natak Akademi awardees. Many of his other talented students went on to establish their own Odissi dance institutions, imparting training and spreading the fragrance and beauty of the Mayadhar style to younger generations.
The great master of Odissi dance lived a life of satisfaction, witnessing the vast body of work he created and his many achievements. Having gathered immense knowledge and experience, Guru Mayadhar Raut was no less than an institution himself. His absence is deeply felt, but his legacy lives on through his students and the timeless beauty of Odissi dance.
