Dance troupes from Karnataka and Manipur perform martial dances of India at Kalinga Mahotsav in Bhubaneswar. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 11: The spirit of gallantry among various communities across the country was celebrated at the opening ceremony of the Kalinga Mahotsav — a national martial dance festival.

Organised by the Orissa Tourism Department, the two-day festival presented some thrilling items by performers from Karnataka and Manipur on Monday evening.

With the enchanting Dhauli peace pagoda as the backdrop, Stem Dance Company, Bangalore, rendered contemporary dance with martial art motifs in the choreography. The first rendition titled Tandava was an obeisance to Lord Shiva.

“The item was dedicated to the Lord of Dance and Yoga — Shiva. Inspired by temple architecture and iconography, the movements were compiled by referring to the ancient Natya Shastra,” said choreographer and dancer, Madhu Natraj. A segment of this piece was also a tribute to martial arts tradition of Kerala and Manipur.

Another recital, titled Kaalaratri, showcased the theme of Vajra, a mythological weapon. Vajra, in this item, was depicted as the weapon, the diamond and the lightning — all embodiments of power and energy. The dancers used Samurai swords and their vibrant movements were coupled with acrobatic stunts.

The Dance of Light, another sequence of Vajra, by Stem Dance Company, had the dancers playing with beams of light and which was accompanied by graceful movements of hand and feet.

There were also dynamic movements of the body to create formations by the troupe. The performance regaled the crowd that included tourists from within and outside the country. “I was amazed by the mudras (expressions) of the dancers and could not take my eyes off. There is so much variety and elegance in Indian martial dance forms that shows the dancers’ mastery over the body and flexibility in movements,” said tourist John Dupuche from Australia.

“It would be wonderful if these dance forms could be revived by organising such performances across the world,” he added.

The choreography and stunts of Manipuri Martial Art by artiste Chandramani and his troupe received appreciation from the audience. Titled Kwak Tanba, the dance was a form of Thang Ta, a well-known Manipuri martial dance form.

Derived from a local festival of Manipur, the sequence depicted the vigour of a young girl of Manipur who rotated swords and even performed duels with ease. With foot tapping percussion, soothing music and songs in the background, the artistes presented blindfold duels with swords and flaming torches.

“The performance by the Manipuri troupe was awe-inspiring. The young girls and boys showed amazing stunts,” said Birendra Padhi, a visitor.