'Maa' of Odissi Dance

In my earlier post ‘Odissi Dance Based Movie’ dated 12.03.2015, i have written about the Odia movie ‘Thukul’ in which the lead role is played by Archita Sahu. However, ‘Arundhati’ is perhaps the first Odia movie, based on Odissi dance. The lead role in this, is played by the oldest living Odissi danseuse Padmashri Dr. Minati Mishra. At 79, she is still agile and occasionally takes the stage. I watched her present an Odissi dance number at the International Odissi Dance Festival at Bhubaneswar in 2011. After that i have seen her as the Chief Guest or occupying one of the front seats at many cultural events. While presenting her, comperes lovingly describe her as the ‘Maa’ (mother).

 Here is a clip of the movie containing an Odissi dance number by Minati Mishra:



Another Dance Sequence:



And here is a song from the movie:

Born in 1937, Minati started learning dance from Kali Charan Patnaik in 1950. She also took lessons from the legendary Odissi dance Guru, the late Kelu Charan Mohapatra. In 1954, she joined Kalakshetra  of the famed Rukmini Devi Arundale to learn Bharatanatyam, on a scholarship from Govt. of Odisha.  On the invitation from International Photographic Association in 1959, she went to Switzerland and performed at Zurich, Luzen, Geneva and Winteryhur. In 1962, she was got a Doctoral degree in Indology from Philip University of Marburg, Germany for a thesis on Natya Shastra.  She performed at Berlin Film Festival in 1963. She was known for  expressiveness (Bhava) and dramatization (Abhinaya).



Minati Mishra a in Bengali Movie - Video Credit: Kasu Vandi, the American lady who writes on classical dances in Indian movies in her blog 'Minai's Cinema Nritya Gharana' 

Minati Mishra has acted in many Odia films like Surya Mukhi, Jeevan Sathi, Arundhati (1967). This film is based on a story of an Odissi danseuse.  She has received the National Film Award for Best Regional Cinema. She has also received Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and Sangeet Prabhakar title for Hindustani vocal music.

Dr. Mishra has worked alongside the first generation Odissi dance Gurus like Pankaj Charan Das, Debi Prasad Das and Kelu Charan Mohapatra.    

        

She guided the Utkal Sangeeta Mahavidyalay, Bhubaneswar as its Principal from 1964 to 1989.  She finally retired in 1990 and settled in Switzerland. She divides her time between India, Switzerland and Canada, guiding and advising students.



For more on Minati Mishra's Odissi dance in the Odia movie 'Arundhati', see blog-post 'Minati Mishra's Odissi Dance in Arundhati (Oriya), 1967' in  Minai's Cinema Nritya Gharana

(cinemanrityagharana.blogpost.in) dated 15.5.2012