Odishi, also referred to as Orissi in old literature, is a major ancient Indian classical dance that originated in the temples of Odisha – an eastern coastal state of India. Odissi, in its history, was performed predominantly by women, and expressed religious stories and spiritual ideas, particularly of Vaishnavism through songs written and composed according to the ragas & talas of Odissi music by ancient poets of the state. Odissi performances have also expressed ideas of other traditions such as those related to Hindu deities Shiva and Surya, as well as Hindu goddesses (Shaktism).
Sanjukta Panigrahi was a dancer from India, who was the foremost exponent of Indian classical dance Odissi. Sanjukta was the first Odia woman to embrace this ancient classical dance at an early age and ensure its grand revival.
Puri district is a coastal district of the Odisha state of India. It has one sub-division, 11 tahasils and 11 blocks and comprises 1722 revenue villages. Puri is the only municipality of the district. Konark, Pipili, Satyabadi, Gop, Kakatpur and Nimapada are the NACs in this district while Brahmagiri being a semi-urban town.
Eastern India is a region of India consisting of the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal and also the union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Odisha is one of the 28 states of India, located on the eastern coast. It is surrounded by the states of West Bengal to the northeast, Jharkhand to the north, Chhattisgarh to the west and northwest, and Andhra Pradesh to the south and southwest. Odia is the official and most widely spoken language, spoken by 33.2 million according to the 2001 Census. The modern state of Odisha was established on 1 April 1936, as a province in British India, and consisted predominantly of Odia-speaking regions. April 1 is celebrated as Odisha Day.
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.
Gotipua is a traditional dance form in the state of Odisha, India, and the precursor of Odissi classical dance. It has been performed in Orissa for centuries by young boys, who dress as women to praise Jagannath and Krishna. The dance is executed by a group of boys who perform acrobatic figures inspired by the life of Radha and Krishna. The boys begin to learn the dance at an early age until adolescence, when their androgynous appearance changes. In the Odia language, Gotipua means "single boy" (goti-pua). Raghurajpur, Odisha is a historic village known for its Gotipua dance troupes. The dance of the Gotipuas is accompanied by traditional Odissi music with the primary percussion being the Mardala.
Madhavi Mudgal is an Indian classical dancer known for her Odissi dance style. She has won several awards, including the Sanskriti Award, 1984, President of India's award of Padma Shri, 1990, the Orissa State Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, 1996, Grande Medaille de la Ville by Govt. of France, 1997, Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, 2000, Delhi State Parishad Samman, 2002 and the title of Nritya Choodamani in 2004.
Ileana Citaristi is an Italian Odissi and Chhau dancer, and dance instructor based in Bhubaneswar, India. She was awarded the 43rd National Film Awards for Best Choreography for Yugant in 1995 and became, in 2006, the first dancer of foreign origin to be conferred the Padma Shri for her contributions to Odissi.
The East Zone Cultural Centre has its headquarters in Sector III, Salt Lake City, Kolkata, is situated in the Indian state of West Bengal, on account of Kolkata being referred to as the "Cultural Capital of India". It is one of the seven zones established in India. The Indian states which are under the Eastern Cultural Zone are West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Sikkim, Andaman & Nicobar Islands. This zone is home to three classical dances, namely, Odissi, Sattriya and Manipuri dance; types of music include the classical Odissi music and semi-classical Rabindra Sangeet. In addition, Odia is one of the classical languages in India and the only living classical language from Eastern India.
Sharmila Biswas is a leading dancer, choreographer and Teacher in the field of Indian Classical Dance. She is recognized for her considerable contribution to Odissi Classical Dance which brought many changes in the Content, Technique and Costumes. Tracing the many facades of Traditional Performing and Visual arts of Odisha, and in that context viewing Odissi Dance have been the foundation of most of her Dance productions. A prominent deciple of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, a Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee (2012), Sharmila Biswas heads Odissi Vision & Movement Centre (1994), a well-known institution dedicated to Research, Training and Productions. Graded as an ‘Outstanding’ artiste by The Indian Council of Cultural Relations, Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. Of India. Graded as one of the ‘Top’ artists by Doordarshan, India. In 2012, Biswas was awarded Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, conferred by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama.
Kasturi Pattanaik is a pioneering Odissi dance exponent, performer, choreographer, teacher, trainer and music composer from India.
Methil Devika is an Indian classical dancer and research supervisor. She was a Senior Research Associate at ISRO's Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, in 2023 working on an arts-integrated-advance-science project ideated by her. She is currently doing Kerala Chief minister's Nava Kerala Post Doctoral Fellowship, conducting research on Temple Terrain as a New Performance Space for the Woman Dancer: A Study on How the Modern Woman Reinvents her Art in Esoteric Spaces.
Geeta Mahalik is an Indian Odissi dancer. The Government of India honoured her with the Padma Shri in 2014 for her services to the field of art and culture.
Minati Mishra was an Indian classical dancer and actress, known for her expertise in the Indian classical dance form of Odissi. She was reported in 2011 to be the oldest-living Odissi performer. The Government of India honored Mishra in 2012, with the fourth-highest civilian award of Padma Shri.
Priyambada Mohanty Hejmadi is an Indian classical dancer, scientist, academician, art writer, and biologist. Born on 18 November 1939, she mastered the Indian classical dance form of Odissi from an early age under Ban Bihari Maiti. Her Odissi performance at the Inter-University Youth Festival in New Delhi in 1954 is reported to have helped the dance form to gain international attention through Charles Fabri, the renowned art critic from Hungary, who was present at the function.
Prahallada Nataka is a traditional play native to the Indian state of Odisha. It narrates the story of Vishnu's man-lion avatar, Nrusingha or Narasimha, through over 200 songs based on almost 30 ragas of Odissi music. The play is based on a text by Raja Ramakrusna Chhotaraya, King of Jalantara, a small kingdom in former southern Odisha, now in the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh.
Sarbeswar Bhoi is an Indian folksinger from Kalahandi, India of Sambalpuri folk music. He sang songs such as "Likri Jhkri' and "Lal Jhara Jhara" for the Sambalpuri movie Aadim Vichar, which won National Award for Best Feature Film in Odia Category in 2014.
PanditRamhari Das is a leading singer, composer, musicologist and Guru of Odissi music. Known for his renditions, compositions, lecture-demonstrations and writings, Das has served as a professor and led the Odissi vocal department in prominent musical institutions of Odisha, including the Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya and the Utkal University of Culture. He is the founder of Ramhari Das Odissi Gurukula at Biragobindapur, Puri. For his contributions to Odissi music, Das received the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 2008.
Madhulita Mohapatra is a dancer from India. She is one of the exponents of Indian classical dance Odissi. She is also a Sambalpuri folk dancer for more than 20 years. She has been performing and teaching Odissi and Sambalpuri folk dance since the last 15 years. She started an Odissi school at Bengaluru in June 2008. She is also a performer, choreographer and trainer.
