| quintessence_of_odissi_guru_surendra_nath_jenas_courage_to_lead.pdf |
Nirmal Jena in NIDA, 2019
Photo: Rudolf Rindler
The Quintessence of Odissi:
Guru Surendra Nath Jena’s Courage to Lead
by his son, Nirmal Chandra Jena
My father was a maverick, a fearless pioneer with every reason to be frightened of the world that imposed on him, but he was not. He had a vision steeped in philosophy, values and rituals and his vehicle was Odissi dance, a timeless, ageless expression borne out of the depth of consciousness and worship. He embellished this with a commanding scientific base consisting of theory, technique, music, poetry and illustrations.
He invested his life in the arts and created dance and music masterpieces. Eka eka mala deli gunthita jatane kebala pindhi paribe kala sebi janee (an excerpt from his poetry) - I have created this garland of jewels with great care, and only the chosen can be adorned with it.
Odisara shilpa chitra jete dina thiba aei kalara satyata je banchiki rahiba: for as long as the sculptures and the paintings of Odisha are visible, the truth of Odissi will remain; for as long as there is deep inquiry, the truth will be revealed again and again; and, for as long as the rituals in the temples are practised, the journey will continue to inspire. Guruji went on his sacred journey to reach Sattwika, the pinnacle of creativity which eludes most. My mother, Kumudini’s support throughout this journey gave my father the courage and the confidence.
I live in a distant land, in Sydney Australia, a land with a compelling history spanning 40,000 years. It has nurtured my spirit and awakened me to the universal relevance, power and resilience of my father’s art and philosophy. It is my life and I have presented, performed and taught many across Australia and other countries. There are many worthy ambassadors of my father’s Odissi across several countries and each brings to this genre unique capabilities. And there are those who have fervently supported and patronised my practice. My wife, Chitrita, and I have enjoyed an enduring partnership, without which I could not have invested in my artistic journey............
Complete article in the pdf above. A version of this was published in 2019 in Nartanam, an Indian dance journal. It was included in the special edition on Guru Surendra Nath Jena's Odissi.
Guru Surendra Nath Jena’s Courage to Lead
by his son, Nirmal Chandra Jena
My father was a maverick, a fearless pioneer with every reason to be frightened of the world that imposed on him, but he was not. He had a vision steeped in philosophy, values and rituals and his vehicle was Odissi dance, a timeless, ageless expression borne out of the depth of consciousness and worship. He embellished this with a commanding scientific base consisting of theory, technique, music, poetry and illustrations.
He invested his life in the arts and created dance and music masterpieces. Eka eka mala deli gunthita jatane kebala pindhi paribe kala sebi janee (an excerpt from his poetry) - I have created this garland of jewels with great care, and only the chosen can be adorned with it.
Odisara shilpa chitra jete dina thiba aei kalara satyata je banchiki rahiba: for as long as the sculptures and the paintings of Odisha are visible, the truth of Odissi will remain; for as long as there is deep inquiry, the truth will be revealed again and again; and, for as long as the rituals in the temples are practised, the journey will continue to inspire. Guruji went on his sacred journey to reach Sattwika, the pinnacle of creativity which eludes most. My mother, Kumudini’s support throughout this journey gave my father the courage and the confidence.
I live in a distant land, in Sydney Australia, a land with a compelling history spanning 40,000 years. It has nurtured my spirit and awakened me to the universal relevance, power and resilience of my father’s art and philosophy. It is my life and I have presented, performed and taught many across Australia and other countries. There are many worthy ambassadors of my father’s Odissi across several countries and each brings to this genre unique capabilities. And there are those who have fervently supported and patronised my practice. My wife, Chitrita, and I have enjoyed an enduring partnership, without which I could not have invested in my artistic journey............
Complete article in the pdf above. A version of this was published in 2019 in Nartanam, an Indian dance journal. It was included in the special edition on Guru Surendra Nath Jena's Odissi.
The Gurukul: A space of wisdom, education, resilience & creativity
Will you join us to build a space for our Odissi? It has much to offer all communities as a catalyst of a new direction, resilience and synergy. The space, a Gurukul, will be a place of deep learning where the guru shows the path to light through wisdom teachings, ethics and universal values. We need partners with the vision and resources to support us with building the Gurukul and its calendar of programs centred on Nirmal Jena’s Odissi practice and teachings.
Awakening each morning to the music of ancient ragas in one practice room, the deep percussive/drum rhythms of the pakhawaj and the mridang, elevating mantra meditations/chanting in another, and the intoxicating sound of dancers’ footwork synergising with nature’s music – all this invokes the creative mind and the searching spirit. This will be the purpose and energy of the Gurukul, a place for one and all to experience and deeply learn ancient arts practices, steeped in wisdom and holistic creativity.
The Gurukul will also present community gatherings and conversations in partnership with other stakeholders, all underpinned with the wisdom of ancient cultures and the diversity and intelligence of modern societies.
Dance-in-education
Offering Odissi dance training within primary, secondary and tertiary education is vital, particularly as it requires intensive training and deep learning. It is both scientific and artistic. Situating such training within formal education gives learners a genuine opportunity to study this artform and pursue it to professional standards and beyond.
Nirmal has presented and taught his Odissi in many schools, universities, colleges, training and coaching centres, juvenile justice centres and specialist institutions, including yoga and meditation centres.
The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney regularly invites Nirmal to teach Odissi.
Educational institutions and other organisations interested in offering the Jena style of Odissi to prospective learners should contact the Odissi Dance Company. For reaching professional and teaching standards, the learning needs to be full time and over three to five years, ideally as an accredited degree program.
Dance education
Music Education
Will you join us to build a space for our Odissi? It has much to offer all communities as a catalyst of a new direction, resilience and synergy. The space, a Gurukul, will be a place of deep learning where the guru shows the path to light through wisdom teachings, ethics and universal values. We need partners with the vision and resources to support us with building the Gurukul and its calendar of programs centred on Nirmal Jena’s Odissi practice and teachings.
Awakening each morning to the music of ancient ragas in one practice room, the deep percussive/drum rhythms of the pakhawaj and the mridang, elevating mantra meditations/chanting in another, and the intoxicating sound of dancers’ footwork synergising with nature’s music – all this invokes the creative mind and the searching spirit. This will be the purpose and energy of the Gurukul, a place for one and all to experience and deeply learn ancient arts practices, steeped in wisdom and holistic creativity.
The Gurukul will also present community gatherings and conversations in partnership with other stakeholders, all underpinned with the wisdom of ancient cultures and the diversity and intelligence of modern societies.
Dance-in-education
Offering Odissi dance training within primary, secondary and tertiary education is vital, particularly as it requires intensive training and deep learning. It is both scientific and artistic. Situating such training within formal education gives learners a genuine opportunity to study this artform and pursue it to professional standards and beyond.
Nirmal has presented and taught his Odissi in many schools, universities, colleges, training and coaching centres, juvenile justice centres and specialist institutions, including yoga and meditation centres.
The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney regularly invites Nirmal to teach Odissi.
Educational institutions and other organisations interested in offering the Jena style of Odissi to prospective learners should contact the Odissi Dance Company. For reaching professional and teaching standards, the learning needs to be full time and over three to five years, ideally as an accredited degree program.
Dance education
- Public and private classes are offered across different venues.
- Presentations/performances, workshops and lecture-demonstrations are also offered by invitation.
Music Education
- Training in Odiya and North Indian classical vocal music
- Training in harmonium and percussion – pakhawaj
