Scholars and practitioners of the great dance Odissi would tell you about how it’s one of the oldest dances birthed from this great land. And it has evolved immensely as time has gone by. They will also tell you that while some things have changed, the intense bhakti bhava (the feeling of devotion and surrender) which ripples through each movement has been present throughout. Just as the art has grown, so has the artist.
All dancers make their own way through the walk of life, they find different parts of the art they love and end up revolutionising it. But at the core of it, no matter what the challenges, the love persists and this makes the pursuit of art so noble. Odissi is an old classical dance form, the centre of which is largely considered to be the towns of Puri, Bhubhaneshwar, Cuttack and Konark. Laavanya Ghosh is an Empanelled artiste at Doordarshan Kendra Kolkata. She is also the recipient of many national-level awards such as the Gopikrishna Award and the Bal Kala Award. And her story shows perhaps just as much evolution as the dance itself.
Early Life and Challenges
Born in Kolkata, she moved to Bhubaneshwar where her path in Odissi commenced. Her mother whom she calls her only positive critic was her initial source of inspiration that pushed her to start learning Odissi. Due to personal reasons, her mother couldn’t pursue the dance herself, so she made sure her daughter got classically trained. And naturally, she went to a class near her house and wrote the first chapter of her career. She looks up to Guru Smt Sujata Mahapatra and also to Madhuri Dixit.
Almost instantly, Laavanya fell in love with the beauty of the movement and as the days went on she admired the wonderful depth of the history of Odissi. Dance in the mainstream is thought of very subjectively—some may like the way one person expresses dance and some may not. There is no objective truth here but the criticism can often get extremely hurtful. For Ghosh, she fell into a period of depression and hurt because of society’s perception of a ‘pretty dancer’. Clearly, her beautiful performances have shut all the critics down. It is important to understand that physical traits really don’t have any correlation with one’s dancing ability. So this is a call to you dear reader, get dancing!
Lessons and Message
Laavanya’s character is amongst her strongest characteristics. Constantly looking to improve and challenge herself, she has learnt how to prioritise the right things in life. She recalled how once she had to decline to participate in social gatherings as it interfered with her practice and rehearsals. When it comes to finding the right balance in life, she has done that from the very beginning. Even as a young kid, she danced her best before an important exam and aced the exam too! As an introvert, she has taken huge steps to improve her interpretation and expression. Always improving, always shining.
Dance taught Laavanya the importance of the 3Ds: Dedication, Determination and Discipline. The discipline itself is a major component of the lifestyle of a classical dancer. Laavanya tells us that dancers must remember that classical dance is a form of worship. One must conquer the basic techniques while also following a proper diet (yes and that means you need to advise junk food)
Laavanya’s parting message is one filled with strength and grace, just like the glorious tradition of Odissi. Every person has the potential for doing something great. Be true to your inner artistic self. Her life’s motto is simple
Be your own saviour. Be your own hero.
