Repertory Of The Danda Nata Poem by Kumarmani Mahakul

The most popular and and the most old dance
Ancient Kalinga Kingdom has gifted to the world,
This is the Danda Nata, the dance festival of people,
In this season of Danda Nata monsoon of music flows
With victorious sound of the drum known as Dhola
And the sweet tune of traditional Mahuri,
Devotees who participate in this festival are
Known as Bhoktas or Danduas and all are males
Passing through a process of purification,
They act, sing and dance as per the playing of Dhola,
Metaphoric and humorous songs they sing to motivate,
Audience gets glimpse of golden motivation
When bhoktas at midday and midnightperform dance
After having only one meal at night
And maintaining chastity for this period of austerity,
In the month of Chaitra at least for 21,18 or 13 days
Chaitra falls in between March and April every year,
Worshiping Supreme Lord as per their devotion and trust,
They celebrate a purification festival
Practicing vegan lifestyle in this period,
They achieve a motivational goal of life
For self and others they bring out this ceremony!
During the day of Chaitra Sankranti
They celebrate their final festival is Meru Parba,
Following the traditional festival and fasting,
The Danda Nata is still alive and popular!

At present lots of changes have come,
At night opera is performed as per public interest,
Melodious night attracts a huge gathering around,
Not only modern opera as per choice of people
But also ancient epics are performed in repertory,
Danda Nata is the first choice of people
Not only of Ganjam district but also of whole Odisha,
During Chaitra every street of the state dances
Witnessing huge crowd around the celebration,
The Danda Nata allows all to awaken for joy!

The City of Heart is also known as Silk City,
This City of Brahmapur is continuously awakened,
Due to Danda Nata gathering immense joy
The City is not sleeping whole day and night
Performance of epic story of The Ramayanais going on
Artists of Aladigada are alert in stage performance
With colourful clothing and prestigious light,
They are singing and dancing and giving joy,
Audience is hugely crowded around the stage
Beside this people's highway, the Janpath of Brahmapur
In between Kamapalli and Court-Peta Squares,
The Nata performed for whole night is all right
This is now graced by newly risen sun,
Sun-rays aregently touching the flags of Danda Nata,
A victorious day is declared by new child sun
From last day's sunset to next first sunrise of today
Still the festival is going on in this street
And in many other streets of this city,
Passengers of morning buses arrived into the city
The are too eagerly watching for a while
Without missing a moment of joy of the Danda Nata,
When the buses are passing slowly
In the opposite parallel street,
All are watching this beauty of graceful sunrise
Over this ceremonial street,
The golden sky is smiling very tenderly,
Sun has brought up grace of God for all devotees!

© Kumarmani Mahakul,08 April 2019. All rights reserved.