Odissi Dance: India's Oldest Classical Dance Tradition

Odisha has contributed a distinct school of classical dance to the rich mosaic of Indian culture — Odissi, which has been internationally acclaimed as one of the eight recognised classical dance forms of India. Based on archaeological evidence, Odissi appears to be the earliest classical dance form, with roots stretching back over two millennia.

Ancient Origins

Mention in Natya Shastra

Bharata, the pioneer of dance in India, in his treatise Natya Shastra, clearly defines the musical tradition based on geographical areas, mentioning Odra-Magadhi style — the precursor of Odissi.

Archaeological Evidence (1st Century BC)

The earliest evidence of professional dance (Nartaki) in Odisha is found in stone figures carved in the caves of Khandagiri and Udayagiri near Bhubaneswar. These scenes were depicted during the reign of Jain King Kharavela (1st Century BC), who was himself a great musician.

A sculptural panel in the Rani Gumpha (Queen’s Cave) of Udayagiri hill depicts dance performances with musical instruments — revealing the type of music prevalent in ancient Orissan society.

Temple Dance Tradition (6th–13th Century AD)

Orissan temples from all dynasties contain extensive sculptures of dancing and singing girls. The Konark Temple (13th century) contains a dedicated Natya Mandapa (Dancing Hall) with abundant dancing images carved in stone, representing the zenith of this sculptural tradition.

The Mahari and Gotipua Traditions

Maharis (Temple Dancing Girls)

The great Ganga King Chodaganga Dev (1077–1147), who built the Jagannath Temple, introduced the ritual of dance before the deity by Maharis (Devadasis or temple dancing girls). This institutionalized dance as worship.

Decline and Gotipua Emergence

After the 16th century, Odisha lost political independence — falling successively under Afghans, Mughals, Marathas, and the British. Over three centuries of turmoil, the Mahari tradition declined. In its place emerged the Gotipua tradition, where young boys dressed as girls danced outside the temples.

Most of the great Odissi Gurus of the 20th century were former Gotipua dancers themselves.

Abhinaya Chandrika

A palm-leaf manuscript called Abhinaya Chandrika, written by Maheswara Mohapatra in the 17th century, preserved crucial information about the technique of Odissi dance — serving as a textual bridge between the ancient and modern traditions.

The Great Revival (20th Century)

The Gurus

Classical Odissi dance was revived in the 20th century by legendary Gurus:

Guru | Contribution

Pankaj Charan Das | Revived Mahari tradition; established Gotipua-to-classical lineage

Kelu Charan Mohapatra | Most celebrated Guru; trained generations of dancers

Deba Prasad Das | Pioneered the revival movement

Mayadhar Rout | Preserved authentic traditions

Harekrushna Behera | Contributed to codification

The Performers Who Put Odissi on the World Map

• Indrani Rahman — Early international ambassador of Odissi

• Sanjukta Panigrahi — Most acclaimed performer; took Odissi to global stages

• Sonal Mansingh — Internationally renowned; Padma Vibhushan awardee

• Kum Kum Mohanty — Distinguished performer

• Madhuri Mudgal — Delhi-based exponent

• Yamini Krishnamurthy — Multi-style classical dancer

• Kiran Sehgal, Pratima Gauri Bedi, Minati Mishra, Priyambada Hejmadi — and many others

Institutional Support

The Odissi Research Centre, established by the Government of Orissa at Bhubaneswar, has codified and preserved all poses, steps, and movements of the dance form.

Technique and Repertoire

Key Postures

• Tribhanga — The most typical pose of Odissi; the body is bent thrice (at the neck, waist, and knee)

• Chauki — The fundamental posture; a square stance

Technical Elements

Important parts of Odissi technique include: Padabhada (footwork), Bhumi (floor patterns), Chari (movements), Biramani (pauses), Bhangi (sculptural poses), and Hasta/Mudras (hand gestures).

Three Divisions

Like other classical dance forms, Odissi has three aspects:

• Nritta — Pure dance (rhythm and movement without meaning)

• Nritya — Expressional dance (emotion through gesture)

• Natya — Dramatic element (storytelling)

Performance Structure

A full Odissi recital follows this order:

• Mangalacharan — Invocatory piece with a Sloka in obeisance to Lord Ganesha or Lord Jagannath

• Batu Nritya — Pure dance emphasizing poses; accompanied only by rhythmic syllables (no song)

• Pallavi — The most graceful item; lyrical, sensuous passages set to a Raga

• Abhinaya — Expressional piece accompanied by a song (Sanskrit or Oriya); themes of Radha-Krishna from medieval poets; a piece from Geeta Govind is indispensable; Dasavatar item is most popular

• Mokshya Nata — Concluding piece in fast tempo; rhythmic patterns at speed carrying the dancer towards ultimate release (Moksha)

Folk Dances of Odisha

Beyond Odissi, Odisha has a rich tradition of folk dances:

Major Folk Dances

Dance | Community/Region | Key Features

Danda Nata | Most ancient; all Odisha | Fire-walking, sword-standing; propitiation of Shiva & Gouri; 3 days before Pana Sankranti

Chaitighoda | Fishermen community | Dummy horse dance; March-April; bamboo frame horse

Ghoomra | Males only | Earthen drum on chest; vigorous group dance

Chhow | Mayurbhanj | War dance with 100+ forms; 4 stages; Chaita Parava

Patua | Chaitra month | Ghata (pitcher) balanced on head; mother goddess Sarala

Ranapa | Cowherd community | Lord Krishna themes; Dol-Yatra

Kela Keluni | Snake-charmer (Kela) | Couple dance; Ghuduki string instrument

Chhow Dance — Three Styles

The Chhow dance is prevalent in contiguous areas of:

• Mayurbhanj (Odisha)

• Seraikela (Jharkhand)

• Purulia (West Bengal)

It evolved from war dances with its own code of training, a vast repertory of over 100 forms, and four stages of performance: Ranga Vadya → initial tune → Nata (thematic development) → Nataki (high-tempo finale).

Tribal Dances

With 62 tribal communities, Odisha has an extraordinarily rich tradition of tribal dance:

• Juang — ‘Changu Dance’; also deer, elephant, pigeon dances

• Saora — Simple group dance with colourful costumes and peacock feathers

• Gond — Year-round; 20-30 persons; only unmarried youth

• Koya — Mother Goddess worship; girls in winding circles

• Kondh — Buffalo sacrifice dance (Kedu festival)

• Gadba — Women in ‘Keranga’ sarees; semi-circular formations

• Dalkhai — Young tribal girls of Western Odisha; performed on Dussera

Significance for OPSC Exam

Key facts to remember:

• Odissi is mentioned as Odra-Magadhi in Natya Shastra

• Three main Gurus: Pankaj Charan Das, Kelu Charan Mohapatra, Deba Prasad Das

• Tribhanga (triple bend) and Chauki (square stance) are defining postures

• Geeta Govinda by Jayadeva is indispensable to Odissi repertoire

• Chhow dance has 3 sub-styles (Mayurbhanj, Seraikela, Purulia)

• Danda Nata is the most ancient folk dance of Odisha

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This article is part of the DailyIAS Odisha Art & Culture series for OPSC preparation. For detailed revision notes, check our Notes section under ODC-02.