Invocation
Mangalacharan
An invocatory dance based on Shiva Giitis and Krishna Giitis that opens the recital in salutation.
- Home
- The Guru
A life devoted to Odissi
Purnima Piyali The Guru of Alapadma
At the age of six, Purnima Piyali began learning Odissi and folk dance at RAWA Academy in Odisha. A Visharad in Odissi and a Doordarshan ‘B’ Grade Artist, Purnima has carried the dance to festival stages across India, the USA, Singapore and Malaysia.
- Dancing since age six
- Visharad in Odissi
- 4 countries · 30+ stages
In Purnima’s words
A journey that began at the age of six
At the age of six, I began learning Odissi and folk dance at RAWA Academy, the premier cultural institution of Odisha. Since its inception in 1990, RAWA has made rapid strides on the strength of eminent literati, musicians and artists, and its guiding motto has been my sole motivation all through the journey.
I have achieved all the heights of excellence under the tutelage of Guru Shri Bharat Charan Giri. Every dance presentation of mine bears testimony to the uniqueness of the Odissi style improvised by Guru Shri Deba Prasad Das.
I have performed in state, national and international festivals, and on regional TV, National TV in New Delhi, E TV and O TV. I successfully completed ‘Visharad’ in Odissi Dance under Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Mumbai, and by the grace of the Almighty I was awarded ‘B’ Grade Artist of Doordarshan Kendra Bhubaneswar, Odisha, in the year 2016.
Milestones
From the first step to centre stage
A life measured in training, performances and honours, and in devotion to a living lineage.
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Age sixRAWA Academy, Odisha
The first steps
Purnima begins learning Odissi and folk dance at RAWA Academy, the premier cultural institution of Odisha, which had its inception in 1990 and grew on the strength of eminent literati, musicians and artists.
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DiscipleshipGuru Shri Bharat Charan Giri
Under the Guru’s tutelage
Purnima trains under Guru Shri Bharat Charan Giri, a worthy disciple of the Guru Shri Deba Prasad Das style, and comes to carry its uniqueness into every presentation.
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From 2003Festival stages across India
Onto the festival stage
The first listed stage, Itikili Mitikili at the Book Fair in Bhubaneswar (2003), opens the way to Utkal Divas celebrations in New Delhi (2004) and Chennai (2005), the International Odissi Dance Festival in Bhubaneswar (2013, 2015) and the Taj Festival in Agra (2015).
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2013–2016USA · Singapore · Malaysia
International stages
Odissi travels abroad: to New York, Chicago and Seattle in 2013, to The Temple of Fine Arts in Malaysia and Singapore in 2014 and 2016, and to Seattle, Houston and Palo Alto in 2016.
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VisharadIn Odissi Dance
A Visharad in Odissi
Purnima successfully completes ‘Visharad’ in Odissi Dance under Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Mumbai.
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On screenRegional & national television
Odissi on television
Performances on regional TV, National TV in New Delhi, E TV and O TV, and for Doordarshan Kendra in Bhubaneswar and New Delhi.
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2016Doordarshan Kendra Bhubaneswar
‘B’ Grade Artist of Doordarshan
By the grace of the Almighty I have been awarded ‘B’ Grade Artist of Doordarshan Kendra Bhubaneswar, Odisha, in the year 2016.
Purnima
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TodayAlapadma Odissi Dance Academy
Sharing the lineage
Purnima now shares this heritage with students at Alapadma, carrying forward the teaching of Guru Shri Bharat Charan Giri in the style of Guru Shri Deba Prasad Das.
Honours & Credentials
Recognised on stage and on screen
Visharad in Odissi
Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Mumbai
‘B’
‘B’ Grade Artist
Doordarshan Kendra Bhubaneswar, Odisha, awarded in 2016
On Screen
Regional TV, National TV New Delhi, E TV and O TV
30+
Festival Stages
Across 4 countries: India, the USA, Singapore and Malaysia
Guru Parampara
The lineage behind every step
In Odissi, a style passes from Guru to shishya like one lamp lighting the next. At Alapadma it flows from the style of Guru Shri Deba Prasad Das, through Guru Shri Bharat Charan Giri, to Purnima.
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The Style
Guru Shri Deba Prasad Das
The Odissi taught at Alapadma follows the style of Guru Shri Deba Prasad Das, a technique marked by its distinctiveness and subtlety. Two signatures of the style live on in the repertoire.
- Shabda-Swara-Pata A unique concept introduced by Guru Shri Deba Prasad Das in Odissi dance.
- Sthayee The unique item conceived and choreographed by Guru Shri Deba Prasad Das.
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The Guru
Guru Shri Bharat Charan Giri
Guru Shri Bharat Charan Giri stands out among the leading dance Gurus of contemporary times. A worthy disciple of the Guru Shri Deba Prasad Das style, he creates choreography that bears unmistakable testimony to the distinctiveness and subtlety of that technique.
Great artists are not made but born.
As a solo dancer, his renditions of Navarasa, Astasambhu and Dasavatara stand unmatched, corroborating this truth. -
Prabhat Samgiita
His dance compositions on Prabhat Samgiita are eloquent about his creative improvisations and have earned him rare recognition at national and international festivals.
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Shabda-Swara-Patas
He has enriched the style a great deal through the innovative application of several Shabda-Swara-Patas in his choreographies.
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Junior & Senior Fellowships
Awarded by the Government of India in recognition of his talent.
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Nurturing students
His industry and personal attention in nurturing the budding talents of his students cannot be overemphasised.
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The Disciple
Purnima Piyali
Every dance presentation of mine bears testimony to the uniqueness of the Odissi style improvised by Guru Shri Deba Prasad Das.
Trained under Guru Shri Bharat Charan Giri, Purnima now shares this heritage with students at Alapadma Odissi Dance Academy.
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The Next Bloom
You
Your own journey in Odissi can begin in this lineage, with classes for children and adults, in person and online.
The Guiding Motto
The motto of RAWA Academy, and Purnima’s sole motivation all through the journeyArt not for art’s sake, Art for Service and Blessedness.
Signature Repertoire
The heart of the repertoire
From the invocation of Mangalacharan to the liberation of Mokshya, an Odissi recital unfolds in five stages, joined in Purnima’s repertoire by the folk dances of Odisha.
Signature of the style
Sthayee
The unique item conceived and choreographed by Guru Shri Deba Prasad Das.
Pure dance
Pallavi
Dance that blossoms with the raga: Kalyan, Sankarabharan, Kafi, Basanta and Kalavati.
Expression
Abhinaya
Geeta Govinda, traditional Odissi songs and items on mythological concepts such as Astasambhu, Navarasa, Durga Stuti and Bala Gopalastaka.
Liberation
Mokshya
The final stage of the recital, a dance of spiritual liberation.
Folk dances of Odisha
Sambalpuri & Danda
Two folk dances of Odisha in the repertoire. Purnima began learning folk dance alongside Odissi at the age of six.
Learn under the Guru
Begin your Odissi journey with Purnima
Classes for children and adults, in person and online. Tell us a little about the learner and we will share batch timings, fees and the best class to begin with.