| Surendra Nath Jena | |
| Birth Date: | 10 October 1924 |
| Birth Place: | Uchapur, Bhadrak, Odisha, India |
| Death Place: | Shakarpur, New Delhi, India |
| Occupation: | Indian classical dancer, choreographer, actor, musician, poet, teacher |
| Years Active: | 1931–2006 |
| Spouse: | Kumudini Jena |
| Children: | Pratibha Jena Singh, Nirmal Ch Jena, Rekha Yadav, Rama Jena Pradhan |
| Awards: | Sangeet Natak Academi Award |
Surendra Nath Jena (10 October 1924 - 8 October 2007) was a notable Odissi dancer renowned for his contributions to the art form. His dance style was characterized by a comprehensive integration of diverse elements of Indian culture, including temple sculpture, ancient dance forms, Sanskrit and vernacular literature, yoga, traditional painting, manuscripts, and philosophy. Jena was not only a dancer but also a choreographer, responsible for the music and dance arrangements in his compositions.[1]
Surendra Nath Jena was born in 1924 in the village of Uchapur in the Bhadrak district of Odisha.[2] He hailed from a modest background, with his family engaged in farming. Following the untimely demise of his father, Kalandi Charan Jena, his mother, Gukhuni Devi Jena, supported the family by selling vegetables and fish in the local market. His mother, who came from a family of local singers and Jatra actors, recognized Jena's potential and enrolled him in Asura Matha, a nearby institution focused on teaching dance and drama, when he was seven years old. This decision was partly influenced by Jena's lack of interest in formal schooling and his playful nature.
Under the guidance of his Jatra teacher, Anand Nayak, Surendra Nath Jena began performing Jatra, narrating stories from epic tales such as the Mahabharata, Puranas, and Ramayana. Over nearly three decades, he traversed Odisha, often traveling by bullock carts or on foot alongside his Jatra troupe. Their performances, which lasted throughout the night, were characterized by rigorous rehearsals and minimal resources, including limited financial means and food supplies.Surendra Nath Jena received an opportunity when an actor from the Ras Party of Gopinathpur offered him a position in the repertory company. This job, which provided a salary of twenty rupees, was considered significant in rural India during that era. He assumed the role of a teacher and actor, becoming the guru of the Jaidurga Dramatic troupe in Chudwara and later serving as the Director of the Jatra troupe, Sharda Kala Kunja in Nagaspur.
In his late thirties, Surendra Nath Jena married Smt. Kumudini Jena. Nirmal Ch Jena established the Odissi Dance Company (ODC) in Sydney, Australia, where he organized a series of performances and dance education programs in cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra. His daughter, Pratibha Jena Singh, is recognized as one of Odissi's prominent exponents, having showcased performances and conducted dance education globally in this distinctive Odissi style. She provides training in the intricacies of this traditional Odissi style at the Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi, as well as at dance schools in Russia and Ukraine. Additionally, his other daughters, Rekha Yadav in Delhi and Rama Jena Pradhan in Bhubaneswar, are involved in teaching music and dance.
Guru Surendra Nath Jena spent six months in Kolkata to study Kathakali under Bal Krishna Menon. He found Kathakali, a Kerala dance form, to be highly refined compared to Jatra, motivating him to pursue learning it. However, financial constraints prevented him from completing his studies. In the 1950s, Odissi experienced a resurgence led by Oriya artists, scholars, Gotipua Gurus, and Maharis like Jayantika. Guru Surendra Nath Jena dedicated the initial five years to studying this revived style, which was reconstructed based on the accounts of former Devadasis/Maharis and gotipuas (young boys impersonating female dancers who replaced the Maharis). Upon completing his studies, he was conferred the Nrutya Bhushan degree in Odissi Dance in 1965–66.
After relocating from Odisha, Jena settled in Delhi, where he became an assistant at Nritya Niketan in 1966. Subsequently, he joined Triveni Kala Sangam, an esteemed art institution in New Delhi, as an independent Odissi dance teacher in 1967. He dedicated his life to teaching both foreign and Indian students and developed his distinctive style of Odissi until his retirement in 2004.Surendra Nath Jena's devotion centered on Radha and Krishna, whom he regarded as his Ishta Devata, or chosen deities. His style of dance was a means of expressing reverence and worship towards the divine through the art form of dance.[3]
In 1966, upon relocating to Delhi, Surendra Nath Jena embarked on developing his distinctive style of Odissi dance. This unique approach was deeply influenced by his extensive study of ancient literature and Odisha temple sculpture. Jena's choreography aimed to animate the iconic poses depicted in temple carvings, infusing them with life and emotion. He emphasized the significance of both emotional expression (Bhav) and fundamental postures (Bhangi) in his dance compositions, viewing them as complementary elements. Jena upheld the traditional belief that devotion (Bhakti) finds manifestation through dance and music, considering them as forms of spiritual practice (Sadhana).[4]
Surendra Nath Jena's style of Odissi dance is characterized by its uniqueness, dynamism, and spiritual devotion, drawing inspiration from the rich heritage of temple sculpture in Odisha. This style has evolved through Jena's exploration of the parallels between the imagery found in Odisha's rural life and various traditional art forms such as Jatra, Pattachitra scrolls, Talapatra paintings, and ancient texts. Additionally, Jena's choreography is influenced by the architectural magnificence of Odisha's renowned temples like Konark, Lingaraj, and Jagannath Puri, as well as the Chausat Yogini shrines. Through his style, Jena endeavors to animate the intricate sculptures of temples, bringing them to life through the medium of dance.[5]