Odissi
AI-drafted · awaiting admin review
The classical dance of Odisha, known for its sculpturesque poses, the tribhangi stance and its devotion to Lord Jagannath, with roots in temple dance traditions.
ClassicalWhere: OdishaOccasion: Stage performances, temple and cultural festivals such as the Konark Dance Festival
| Performed by | Solo and group dancers, today mostly women; once performed by the maharis (temple dancers) and gotipuas |
|---|---|
| Costume | A stitched silk sari, often in Sambalpuri or Bomkai weave, with silver filigree jewellery, a crown of pith (tahia) and alta on hands and feet |
| Music and instruments | Odissi music, sung in Odia and Sanskrit, with the mardala (drum), flute, sitar or violin and manjira (cymbals) |
How it is performed
- Dancers build every movement on two basic stances: chauka, a square, wide-legged position linked to Lord Jagannath, and tribhangi, the body bent in three places at the neck, waist and knee.
- A recital traditionally begins with Mangalacharan, an invocation and offering to the deity and the earth.
- It moves on to Batu or Sthayi, pure dance, then Pallavi, where a raga is developed through graceful movement.
- Abhinaya pieces follow, in which the dancer acts out songs, often from Jayadeva’s Gita Govinda, using facial expression and hand gestures (mudras).
- The recital ends with Moksha, a fast, joyous piece of pure dance that closes in stillness.
Significance
Odissi is one of the classical dances recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. Its poses mirror the dancing figures carved on temples such as Konark, and after Independence gurus such as Kelucharan Mohapatra, Pankaj Charan Das and Deba Prasad Das revived and shaped it for the stage.