In my dissertation, I show how Odissi marginalizes the Mahari in the name of technique. By isolating hip movement from the torso movement, it maintains a distance from the ‘crude,’ ‘unrefined,’ and ‘non0classical’ movements of the Mahari. In the following video, I illustrate the hip-torso isolation in the postural vocabulary in Odissi technique.
Since the past decade or so, there has been a wave among Odissi practitioners to revive Mahari dancing. Practitioners like Kasturi Patnaik, Suhag Nalini Das, and Rupasree Mohapatra have revived Mahari dancing for the concert stage.
Kasturi Patnaik performing Mahari dance to an Ashtapadi called Sakhi Hain for national television. Here she recreates the evening ritual called Pahuda Alati.
Suhag Nalini Das recreates Mahari dancing on an Oriya song for live concert.
Here, choreographer Rupasree Mohapatra choreographs a group choreography on Mahari dance for a dance competition in reality television.