Obit/Tribute - Odissi Guru Mayadhar Raut: The last giant man standing just fell - Ashish Khokar

Born on July 6, 1930, he was the youngest of four pillars of Orissi, as the form was initially spelt. He was born in the village of Kantapenhara in Cuttack district. Here, there was a Krishna Leela party. Krishna Leela differs from Ras Leela in that while in the latter the performers are only boys up to the age of 14, in Krishna Leela adult characters are portrayed by adults. Mayadhar's grandfather was connected with the troupe, occasionally helping it financially or doing bit roles, and Mayadhar's elder brother Harihar Raut used to play the part of the child Krishna. Mayadhar's father was a cultivator. Adjacent to his fields were those of Kali Charan Patnaik of Cuttack, who then ran a drama troupe known as Sakshi Gopal Natya Sangh, named after Sakshi Gopal, the first play he had written. He once came on a visit to the village and saw Mayadhar. Impressed with his looks and demeanour, he asked the father if the boy knew any singing. Mayadhar rendered a song that he had learnt in school. It was enough. Kali Charan asked the father if he might take the boy with him, and the father agreed. So, at the age of seven, Mayadhar found himself in the theatre.

 

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