tha-itTha-thitTha-tTheem! tha-itTha...

...-tTheem! says the keeper of the rhythm.

i've come to appreciate odissi as much as i do bharathanattiyam. the movements, gestures, stances, and expressions of odissi are more subtle, and perhaps more elegant than those of b'nattiyam, which, to me, is more exciting and earthy. and the music to which odissi is performed - essentially hindustani? - is heavenly, and different from carnatic music, which too i love for different reasons. viva la difference!

here's a mangalacharan by sujata mohapatra.

interesting comparison. What are your thoughts on Kathak and how do you compare it to BN and Odissi?

WillyNilly wrote:and the music to which odissi is performed - essentially hindustani?

yes, it is hindusthani, you got that right. but there are carnatic instruments used, specifically the mridangam. the mridangam is unmistakable here (you might be familiar with this clip):



ta jhum ta jhum tari jhum ta jhenuka. now i am stuck on this song -- again.

Rashmun wrote:interesting comparison. What are your thoughts on Kathak and how do you compare it to BN and Odissi?

the first time i watched kathak was at a performance by students of the faculty of music and dance of m.s. university, vadodara. it was a novel experience for me, and i thoroughly enjoyed it. years later, i watched birju maharaj and his troupe perform here. while the accent is on rhythm, i also noticed hand gestures which added meaning - whatever i could discern of it - and subtlety to the dance.

i am not well enough informed to make comparisons of kathak with other dance forms.