Madisondube

Sujata of Orissa

Sujata Ray reigns from the Indian city Orissa, where one of the world’s most ancient dances, Odissi, originates. Odissi is a 2000 year old classical Indian da...
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Sujata Ray reigns from the Indian city Orissa, where one of the world’s most ancient dances, Odissi, originates. Odissi is a 2000 year old classical Indian dance that was performed in temples devoted to Lord Jugannath, which translates to Lord of the Universe. In ancient times around age seven girls were ceremoniously wedded to the Lord and from then on lived out their lives dancing in the temple as Mahari’s. This practice of marrying women to the Lord has long ended but the dance lives on. This is Sujata Ray, who proudly carries her traditions dance, and teaches young girls in Rishikesh, India. While I was living in India, she became my teacher and I studied Odissi under her for a few months. On my last day in India, she dressed in her ceremonial attire, danced for me high in the Himilayas, and I captured this portrait. Along my travels my camera was stolen and I am now sadly without one, to win this competition would reunite me with my life’s passion.
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