"KAISHKI" Story of Odissi Dance*

Hailing from the ancient kingdom of Kalinga, Odissi, the dance form known for its sensuousness and grace, has become one of the most revered art forms both in India and worldwide.

Amidst the burgeoning popularity of the present form, we seem to have forgotten the past. We have forgotten the path that took Odissi out of the temple to its ultimate destination - the stage, to be presented before the public. Its decline in the middle period through the temple dancers the emergence of the Gotipua, and the resurrection of Odissi into its modern form in the late 50s have all added great historic value and have contributed to this lyrical, sculpturesque, aesthetically appealing art form.

Though there are couple of reference books on this subject, very little has been written that aims to attract the interest of popular audiences through an engaging text and illustrations.

In order to fill this vacuum and to bring Odissi closer to the people not only in India, but also abroad, Kaishki, the story of Odissi chronicles the journey of the dance from temple to theatre.

It is a comprehensive book, encompassing the history of Orissa along with the socio-cultural and historical evolution and its journey from the temple dance to its reformation as a Gotipua form of dance and finally its rebirth to its present form, covering the subtleties, and nuances, techniques and appreciation of the Odissi dance.

Although informative in nature, Ranjana hopes to make this book a joy for the reader by presenting it as a visually memorable experience. It will be lavishly illustrated with photographs commissioned by Ranjana. These beautiful photographs are unique in that they capture dance in natural settings. These locations are central to the theme of the book such as the Sun Temple at Konark, the temples of Bhubaneshwar, Udaygiri Khandgiri Caves, the maths or ashrams of Orissa.

*Note: Scheduled for release in 2002