Book Review - Guru Debaprasad Das: Icon of Odissi - Nita Vidyarthi

Guru Debaprasad Das, one of the foremost gurus of Odissi dance, had developed a unique style of his own with stylised abhinaya and naturalistic approach to the dance form. ‘Sabda Swara Pata’ is an important feature of his style and retaining Odissi dance in its purest form was his most important contribution. He kept a low profile, died at the age of 54 and his star disciples strive hard to propagate and popularize his not often seen tradition. Gayatri Chand, one of the accomplished senior most and technically sound, devoted Odissi dancers in Debaprasad Das’s style has painstakingly collected a large amount of detailed information of her guru and his work from resources far and wide and with a paramount effort and research, has compiled and classified them in the first ever written illustrated book on her guru entitled ‘Guru Debaprasad Das: Icon of Odissi.’ The remarkable feature of the book is the analysis and classification of the text and music and statements on the style of her guru as compared to the other two stalwarts (Late Gurus) of Odissi (pg 44). With an extremely convergent and focussed mind she has gracefully pointed out the details without causing any damage to the honour or respect of others’ thoughts, ideas or principles.

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