Odissi - The Classical Dance Form of Orissa

Odissi, one of the eight classical dance of India which is an ancient, breathtakingly beautiful form of sacred dance,originally developed in the temple of shri Jagannatha at Puri as a form of worship and meditation.Odissi dance got its recognition as a classical dance, after Bharat Natyam, Kathak & Kathakali in the year 1958, although it had a glorious past. The Konark temple have kept alive this ancient forms of dance in the stone-carved damsels with their unique lusture, posture and gesture. As the temples are the bases of cultural life in this state, Odissi form of classical dance has been closely connected with their day-to-day activities. Strongly linked with the religious movements of Orissa, It shows traces of Buddhism, Tantrism (Buddhist and Brahmanical), Saivism, and Vaisnavism, not only in the figures depicted but also in the messages conveyed.In the temple of Lord Jagannath it is the devadasis, who were performing this dance regularly before Lord Jagannath, the Lord of the Universe. After the introduction of the Gita Govinda, the love theme of Lordess Radha and Lord Krishna, the devadasis performed abhinaya with different Bhavas & Rasas.

It is particularly distinguished from other classical Indian dance forms by the importance it places upon the tribhangi (literally: three parts break), the independent movement of head, chest and pelvis, and upon the basic square stance known as chauka.

Origin of Odissi
Odissi was first encountered outside the temple in the early part of the 16th century. This dance tradition was kept alive by the devadasis.Those who were attached to the Jagannath Temple were all Vaishnavitcs and those at Bhubaneswar were attached to Shaivite temples. Before the introduction of the Gitagovinda in temples, the devadasi used to dance to the recitation of hymns and bols of talas. But after Gitagovinda became part and parcel of the rituals, tile devadasis performed abhinaya with different bhavas and rasas. The dance remained an oral tradition through the beginning of the 20th century, in possession of semi-literates who were not aware of the existing Sanskrit texts on dance. Consequently, the movement patterns, body positions, and hand gestures existed in diluted, even debilitated, form without the technical terminology that structures a dance format.

The Themes of Odissi
Odissi is dependent on Geeta Govinda rather than any other theme. It is generally believed that the composers fixed the tala and raga of each song as in those of Geeta Govinda. Mostly these romantic compositions are set in a slow tempo and the dancer gets full scope to depict the emotion by gestures and softer movements to bring home to the audience the full meaning of the compositions. Odissi dependence on Geeta Govinda has enhanced its popularity and made it acceptable to the masses. The dance while portraying the bhava brings out the myriad nuances of the Shrinagar rasa. The songs used in this item deal with devotion or Bhakti Ras. The themes of Odissi almost commonly revolve around Krishna. The Ashtapadis of Jayadev are a very common theme. Although incorporating a range of emotions and mythologies, the eternal union of Radha and Krishna (Gita Govinda) is central to the abhinaya here.

Odissi utilizes powerful, energetic footwork (tandava), juxtaposed with sinuous, graceful feminine postures and movements (Lasya). Handed down from teacher to disciple for thousands of years, Odissi emphasizes, and in fact, centers on spirituality and devotion.

Traditional Odissi repertoire consists of:

Mangalacharan: An invocational piece. After paying homage to Lord Jagganath a sloka (hymn) in praise of some God or Goddess is sung, the meaning of which is brought out through dance. Mangalacharan also includes the ‘bhumi pranam’, begging forgiveness of mother earth for stamping on her, and the ‘trikhandi pranam’ or threefold salutation - above the head to the Gods, in front of the face to the gurus and in front of the chest to the audience.

Battu Nrutya: A dance piece offered to the Lord of dance - Lord Shiva in his ‘Batuka Bhairava’ form. This piece brings out the essence of Odissi.

Pallavi: A pure dance item in which a raga is elaborated through eye movements, body postures & intricate footwork.

Abhinaya: A poem telling a story conveyed to the audience through mudra or hand gestures (the language of Indian classical dance), facial expression and body movement.

Dashavataar: A dance piece describing the ten incarnations of the Lord Vishnu with verses taken from the Gita Govinda.

Moksha: A pure dance item with only the mardal-pakhawaj (percussion) accompaniment - the dance of liberation.

The essence of Odissi lies in its sculpturesque quality; most of its beautiful poses bear close resemblance with the sculptures of the famous temples, which once nourished the art. This dance form demands tremendous physical fitness but also lays equal emphasis on sensitive facial expression more on the swatika bhava. The movements are so vigorous that it makes the dancer emotional, tired and exhausted. He falls in to a trance or becomes senseless at the end of the performance. So this style of dance maintains a perfect balance between physical, mental and spiritual aspects of dance.
Music in Odissi
The musical accompaniment of Odissi dance is essentially the same as the music of Orissa itself. In Odissi, the words used in Drutala (speedy rhymes) are called padis and Navatala`s (nine rhymes) use is also the special feature of Odissi music. Besides, even Dasatala (ten rhymes) and Egaratala (eleven rhymes) are commonly used in Odissi music. Odissi music is a unique blend of North and South Indian classical music but with its own distinct qualities. Today, the Odissi musical orchestra consists of the Guru who mostly is also the pakhawaj player accompanied with one or two vocalists. There are a number of musical instruments used to accompany the Odissi dance. One of the most important is the pakhawaj, also known as the mardal. Other instruments, which are commonly used, are the bansuri (bamboo flute), the manjira (metal cymbals), the sitar and the tanpura.


Costume and Jewellery in Odissi
Odissi dance attire like other Indian Classical dance has a stitched costume (pyjama style) made out of the special Orissa handloom silk sarees, draped in a practical and comfortable style. The sarees have their special borders and intricate designs that set them apart from other sarees. Earlier, there were no stitched costumes but only the sarees used to be draped around. But over a period of time, the stitched costume has been used more frequently because of its convenience.


The Odissi dance jewellery is in silver. The dancer wears a choker, a longer necklace, armlets, bracelets, a belt, anklets, bells, earrings, each placed on the bun, and a seenthi (apiece placed on the hair and forehead). An Odissi dancer has elaborate hair-do in a knot adorned with the "Tahiya" which represents a temple tower. Garlands of flowers are woven into the hair. Palms and soles are painted with a red liquid called the "Alta". They also wear the head ornament called the "Mathami", representing flowers around the hair, and apiece protruding upward, representing the top of a temple. The headpiece used to be made out of real flowers, but for practical reasons, it has been replaced with the Styrofoam. They also wear the "Kapa" on the ears, "Kankana" on the wrists, armlets called "Bahichudi" or "Tayila" and an elaborate belt. She wears on her ankles bells strung together on a single cord. A "Padaka-tilaka", a necklace with a locket rests on the chest.

Shri Jagatnnatha, the name symbolizes in oriya "jagata ra natha" The Lord of the universe worshipped with his elder brother Lord Balabhadra, sister Subhadra and the mighty Sudarshana chakra (disk). Jagannatha is Black (inscrutability) in color, Lord Balabhadra is white (enlightenment) in color, sister Subhadra is yellow (goodness) in color and lord Sudarshan is red in color, hence representing all the four races of world.However the darkness in color of Jagannatha is a special of its kind,it can be considered either absence of any color or the coalescence of all colors in one. In Sanskrit 'Ja' represents Jagannatha,'Ga' represents Balabhadra, 'Nna' represents Subhadra and 'Tha' represents Sudarsan. So Jagannatha means the union of all four deities of the Jagannatha Temple. Every thing related to Jagnnatha is in grandeour in its proximity. He is known as the Bada Thakura (The Chief among all Gods). His Temple is known as the Bada Deula (The main temple among the temples). The road in front of the temple is known as Bada Danda (Grand Road). The Sea of puri is known as the Mahodadhi (Great Ocean).

We found a lot of theories regarding the origin of Jagannath, below is the belief that most widely followed. After Vishnu saved the world from deluge in his Baraha incarnation,Brahma asked him of the means of salvation of all creatures.Vishnu said, "I am being worshipped as Nilamadhava on the Blue Hill in Purushottama Khetra, Puri.The highest form of salvation could be attained by beholding me there." This was a cause of apprehension to Yama,the God of death,as he could not discharge his duties properly.On Yama's request Vishnu assured him to disappear from the Blue Hill after some days.

The sacred Rohini Kunda was situated to the west of the all bestowing kalpa-vriksa whose branches had spread of Nilamadhava was situated to the west of the Kunda,known to all excepting the Savara who worshiped him and the Gods who came to pay their daily oblations at his altar.In Satyayuga the pious and learned king Indradyumna of the Solar dynasty ruled in Avanti.He was anxious to see Vishnu.A wandering sannyasin informed him that God Himself was being worshipped as Purushottama on the Blue Hill in Odra desh.Indradyumna sent Vidyapati,the brother of his family priest,to Utkala as his emissary.After travelling far and wide, found the Lord manifested as Nilamadhava, and being secretly worshipped by Vishwavasu, the chief of Savara.Vidyapati got married to Lalita, daughter of Viswavasu and got all the information about Neelamadhava. Viswavasu was reluctant to reveal the presence of the Lord but took Vidyapati blind folded to the secret location at the persistence request of his daughter Lalita.Vidyapati had secretly carried some mustard seeds in a cloth bag with a small hole.After returning with his king he could find all the way to the site where the Lord had manifested himself.

In the meanwhile in order to fulfill His pledge given to Yama,Lord Vishnu made the Shrine of Nilamadhava invisible under the sand.When Indradyumna accompanied by Narada set out with a vast army and reached the borders of the Kingdom of Utkala,its King informed him about the disappearance of Nilamadhava.Indradyumna was completely disheartened with the news,but sage Narada assured him that God would reappear in the form of Daru (a log of wood).Thus being consoled Indradyumna visited the Blue Hill and offered a thousand aswamedha sacrifices there.

On the closing day of the aswamedha sacrifice Nilamadhava appeared to Indradyumna in a vision and at his bathing time the attendants came and informed him that a Daru with four branches was flating on the sea.It could be brought to ashore only after Vidyapati and Visvavasu jointly pulled it. King Indradyumna, desirous of constructing idols of Lord sighted the sacred wood according to search made as per the command of the Lord Jagannath to King Indradyumna but wood could not be sized, and form of Lords could not be conceived. But one offered flower, from the head of the deity, Kakatpur Mangala, on advice of sage Narada, was taken and touched on the sacred wood, Daru Brahma. It facilitated the splitting of wood, into three parts for construction of idols Lord Jagannath, Subhadra and Balabhadra according to requirement. .While discussing with Narada about fashioning the log into an image,the king heared a voice from heaven saying, "God Himself will make His own image.The aged carpenter standing with his tools should be maintained about the construction of the image." Things were arranged accordingly and at the end of the allotted time Jagannath,Balabhadra,Subhadra and Sudarsana appeared on the Mahavedi.Being directed by a voice from heaven the king adorned the images with silken cloth and painted them with their respective colours.He also built a temple one thousand cubits high to install the images.

Another story says the origin of Puri temple is associated with the demise of Lord Krishna.After deciding to end his earthly existence he was hiding in a creeper. His dangling feet was mistaken as the ears of deer by Jara, the chief of hunters.After realizing Jara was inconsolable but Krishna explained to him that this was pre-ordained. He advised Jara to inform Pandavas. The heart portion of Krishna's body remained unburnt and set afloat on the sea. This later appeared as log and was brought to shore of Puri by the legendary king Indradyumna.

An old man appeared at the scene and offered to make images of Lord with a condition that he would make the image of lord with a condition that he would work inside a closed chamber for fifteen days and the door should not be opened under any circumstances. However on not hearing any sound from inside after several days the queen of Indradumnya persuaded to open the door.There was no trace of old man and images of deities in unfinished state without feet and hand.

Indradyumna went to heaven to invite Brahma to consecrate the temple.Brahma was listening to music,and the time that intervened amounted to many ages of mortal like.In the meanwhile a king named Gala had taken possession of the temple and was worshiping an image of Madhava in it.at last Brahma came.Indradyumna and Gala were reconciled to each other on the evidence of ancient tortoises who had seen the construction and pious crow kaka Bhusunda.The image of Madhava was shifted to a smaller temple.Brahma consecrated the temple and the images.After leaving the temple in charge of Gala,indradyumna proceeded to Brahmaloka.Indradumnya prayed the Lord to make him childless so that none of his progeny could claim the temple as his or her own.

History opines that the present temple of Lord Jagannath has been built very shortly. The historians of Orissa are all apparently in this conclusion that the present temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri has been built by Anagabhima Deva, the worthy descendant of the king Chodaganga Deva, the founder of Ganga dynasty in Orissa in 12th Century A.D. It does not mean that the temples of all other deities by which the Jagannath temple is surrounded are equally old. Some of them might have been built very recently. But the origial temple of Lord Jagannath repaired as well as reconstructed by the King Jajati Keshari, one of the famous emperors of Keshari dynasty in Orissa perhaps in fourteenth century A.D. Also it can be traced from the hostory that the cult of Lord Jagannath is originally of the 2nd century B.C. when Kharavela was the emperor of Kalinga, another old name of Orissa. The historic Elephant Cave (Hati Ghumpha) inscription of this emperor on the top of Udayagiri (a hill) near to Bhubaneswar indicates regarding the Jinashan which is identified with Lord Jagannath. But the reliable as well as historical matter is available from the 9th century.

There was the influence of Buddhism on the cult of the Savara deity.Buddhism was established in Orissa after Ashok.Who are the three deities,Jagannath,Balabhadra and Subhadra?They can not be Ram,Laxman and Sita because Subhadra is sister and Balabhadra is elder brother.The three deities have a lot of similarity with the Buddhist triad: Buddha,Dharma and Sangha.Jagannath is Buddha,Balabhadra stands for Sangha.Is n't it necessary to have an elderly person to run a Sangha(Monastic order)? Subhadra is the symbol of Dharma.Sauvada is Dharma in Buddhist philosophy and is perceived in the feminine form.Further,there are not three,but four deities-Chaturdha Murti-including Sudarsana Chakra.What does he stand for?Chakra occurs as a symbol in all religions.The wheel in Buddhism is the symbol of religious essence.The ideas which Buddha preached to the five ascetics at Sarnath are treated as central to the establishment of Dharma Chakra.In the Hindu religion,Chakra is the weapon of Vishnu.What is the shape of the Chakra?It is "Akhanda Mandalakaram"-Unbroken like a sphere.It has neither a beginning nor an end.Therefore it is Sanatana Dharma,eternal religion.No one can say when religion began and when it would end.