The Odia (ଓଡ଼ିଆ), formerly spelled Oriya, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group native to the Indian state of Odisha who speak the Odia language. They constitute a majority in the eastern coastal state, with significant minority populations existing in the neighboring states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
Akshaya Mohanty, also known as Khoka Bhai, was an Indian singer, lyricist, composer, musician and writer in Odia. He has contributed Odia bhajans, Odissi songs, folk songs, film and non-film modern light songs in Odisha on contemporary themes and ballads based on popular legends in Odisha.
Odia literature is literature written in the Odia language, mostly from the Indian state of Odisha. The modern Odia language is mostly formed from Tadbhava words with significant Sanskrit (Tatsama) influences, along with loanwords from Desaja, English, Hindustani (Hindi/Urdu), Persian, and Arabic. Its earliest written texts date from around 1000 CE. The earliest Odia newspaper was Utkala Deepika, first published on August 4, 1866.
MahapurusaAchyutananda Dasa (Odia:-ଅଚ୍ୟୁତାନନ୍ଦ ଦାସ ) was a 16th-century poet seer and Vaishnava saint from Odisha, India. He was popularly known as Gopala Guru. He was considered to have the power to see the past, present and future. He was a prolific author, and one of the group of five, that led a revolution in spirituality in Odisha by translating Sanskrit texts into the Odia language for common people.
Salabega was an Odia religious poet of India in the early 17th century who wrote Jagannatha bhajanas. He was Muslim by birth but his devotion for the Hindu God made Lord Jagannath stop his Ratha Jātrā in Odisha for him to get darshan. His famous Bhajan 'Ahe Nila Saila' lives to this day.
PanditDamodar Hota was an Indian classical vocalist, musicologist, composer, and guru based in Odisha, India. He was an exponent of Hindustani classical music as well as Odissi classical music.
Odissi music is a genre of classical music in India, originated from the eastern state of Odisha. The traditional ritual music for the service of Lord Jagannatha, Odissi music has a history spanning over two thousand years, authentic sangita-shastras or treatises, unique Ragas & Talas and a distinctive style of rendition.
'Suramani' PanditRaghunath Panigrahi was an Odissi music Guru, vocalist, composer and music director. He is most known for his renditions of Jayadeva's Gita Govinda and his vocal support for his wife, the Odissi danseuse Sanjukta Panigrahi. Raghunath belonged to a family associated with Odissi music for centuries, members of which were 19th-century Odissi poet-composer Sadhaka Kabi Gourahari Parichha and Gayaka Siromani Apanna Panigrahi who was the royal musician (raja-sangitagya) of Paralakhemundi. He started his musical training from his father Pt Neelamani Panigrahi, who had been collecting traditional Odissi melodies of the Gita Govinda from the Jagannatha Temple of Puri. Later, Raghunath continued learning Odissi music under Pt Narasingha Nandasarma and Pt Biswanatha Das. He was widely known as 'Gitagobinda Panigrahi'.
Guru Pankaj Charan Das (1919-2003) was an Indian classical dancer, choreographer and the Ādi Guru of Odissi dance. He is known as the 'Father of Odissi dance'.
Balakrushna Dash was born on May 15 1923 in Puri ,Odisha. Sangeeta Sudhakara Balakrushna Dash was a veteran Guru of Odissi music. One of the chief disciples of the legend Pt Gokul Chandra Srichandan of Kendrapada, Dash worked variously as a vocalist, composer and music director. He received the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1975-76 for Odissi Vocal. He was an Odissi classical music teacher in the GKCM Odissi Research Centre.
Arabinda Muduli was an Indian Odia musician, singer and lyricist. Muduli was born in Khanati, Khordha District, Odisha, India. He was a disciple of Bhikari Bal. He was a devotee of lord Jagannath. He sang just bhajans and turned down offers to sing commercial movie songs.
Banamali Dasa is an Indian medieval Odia bhakta-poet & composer of Odissi music from the state of Odisha. "Dinabandhu daitari", "Kede chanda jane lo sahi", and "Manima he etiki maguni mora" are some of his notable writings that are used in Odissi. His songs are popularly sung in festivals, public gatherings, and in Odissi dance. Banamali's compositions are set to traditional Odissi ragas and talas and are extremely popular in the Odissi music repertoire. He is considered to be the foremost poet of the medieval Odia bhakti-literature. He started by writing rustic devotional Poetry, he later began to compose "bhakti"-poetry which gained larger acceptance and popularity among the other contemporary poets of his time. Typically, his poems are eyewitness accounts, and their simple, fervent language is much appreciated.
Birendra Kumar Bhuyan was an Indian writer, poet and lyricist in the Odia literature. Birendra has contributed to Odia literature by writing several national award-winning books and songs in Odisha.
Prem Anand is an Indian music director and composer. He usually works in Odia film and television industry. In 2006, he started his career as a music director through the Odia movie Tu Eka Ama Saha Bharasa and worked as a music director in more than 60 Odia films. Apart from Odia films, he composed music for Odia daily shops, Bhajans and Jatra songs. In 2009, Anand worked as a music director for the Hindi film Dekha Bhai Dekh in 2019, he composed music for Bollywood film Luv U Turn. Apart from Odia and Hindi films, he composed music for Marathi and Bengali films. He composed the 2023 Men's FIH Hockey World Cup anthem.
Gopalakrusna Pattanayaka was an Odia poet & composer of Odissi music. His Odissi songs in various traditional ragas and talas are widely sung across the state, as well as other allied traditional artforms of Odisha, such as pala. The 20th-century Odissi musician, vocalist & binākara Apanna Panigrahi, also from the poet's hometown, was well-known for his renditions of Gopalakrusna's lyrics. Some of the most iconic Odissi songs, such as Syamaku Juhara Tara Premaku Juhara Ma, Jala Ani Jai Kali Kalindasutaku, Sangini Re Rasarangini Re, Kadamba Bane Bansi Bajila Re, Uthilu Ede Begi Kahinkire, Ki Nadare Prana Sangini, Manasija Mana Mohana are creations of Gopalakrusna. Many of his songs are popular abhinaya items in Odissi dance.
AcharyaTarini Charan Patra was a renowned Odissi musician, Guru, singer, scholar, poet, composer & Binākara. One of the most eminent artistes of Odissi classical music in the 20th century, he was known for his vocal renditions & Bina recitals on gramophone records & over the All India Radio, as well as his pioneering efforts in institutionalizing the training of Odissi music by setting up one of the earliest music universities in erstwhile Odisha, the Gandhiji Sangita Kalamandira at Boirani, Ganjam that remained active from 1940 until Patra's demise in 1979.
Gajapati Rāmachandra Deva I (1568); popularly called Abhinava Indradyumna) was the founder of the Bhoi dynasty of Khurda in Odisha, India. He became the ruler of Khurda kingdom after defeating Mukunda Deva in 1568. He claimed descent from the Yaduvanshi dynasty which features prominenetly in the Indian epic, Mahabharata. The Odia populace gave him the title of "Thakura Raja" as a mark of respect for renovating the damaged Hindu temples that were destroyed by the invasion of Kalapahad. He was titled as Vira Sri Gajapati Viradhi Viravara Pratapi Ramachandra Deva. He was killed by the Karrani Bengal forces during their conquest of Orissa in 1568.
Desaraja AdiguruSinghari Shyamasundar Kar was a renowned Odissi musician, Guru, singer, scholar and composer. Born to a sebayata (servitor) family of the Jagannatha Temple, he was groomed under veteran masters of the temple tradition and soon rose to be one of the towering Gurus of Odissi classical music in the 20th century. He was most known for his powerful voice and intricate style, his command over the Mardala as well as his contribution towards the academic institutionalization of Odissi music education. Most of the performers of Odissi music, Mardala and Odissi dance of his period admit to having come under the commanding influence and knowledge of Singhari. He died on 16 March 1975.
"Ahe Nila Saila" is an Odissi classical song composed by the 17th-century saint-poet Salabega, addressing Jagannatha of Puri.
