An artiste from abroad practises Mahari with an Indian dancer in Puri. Telegraph pictures

Bhubaneswar, April 22: Several dancers from all over the country and abroad are pursuing Mahari dance form, which was considered a dying art form till a few years ago.

The temple dance form, that was prevalent at the Jagannath temple in Puri and considered the founding stone of Odissi, is now attracting attention of art lovers from outside the state.

Rupashree Mohapatra, who has continued to perform and train artistes in Mahari dance since long, is now training disciples from Calcutta and even Italy at her dance classes in Bhubaneswar.

Research scholar from Italy, Sylvania, who is working on a project on the dance form, is learning a few steps from Rupashree to understand the art form and the culture it is rooted in.

“It is a very ancient dance form and it is completely rooted to the activities of the temple. It was wonderful to know that every festival of Jagannath temple has exclusive songs and the Mahari dancers used to present different compositions on each occasion,” said Sylvania. “I especially admire the unique attire of the Mahari dancers,” she said.

Dancers from Calcutta are also learning the basics of Mahari as well the Odissi style of the first guru Pankaj Charan Das, under whose tutelage Rupashree had learnt both dance forms.

“Though Odissi was formed from the framework of Mahari, the dancers and art lovers outside the state often confuse that Mahari is recent compared to Odissi. This is because it was not properly patronised on the stage,” said Rupashree.

“I am glad however that there is a growing interest for the dance form. I am teaching the basics of the dance since it is complex and has many intricate elements,” she said.

Without the practical understanding, it would be difficult for research scholars to work on the dance form, feels Rupashree who is training the Mahari learners at her dance school near the Chintamaniswar temple in Bhubaneswar.

She would be hosting her annual festival of Mahari dance at Rabindra Mandap on April 25 when she herself as well as her senior and fresh disciples would perform the dance.