One of the widely acclaimed Indian classical dance , Odissi (Orissi) dance hails from the Eastern
state of Odissa/Orissa. It roots back to a long tradition of more than 2000 years. Over the years, three distinct schools of Odissi dance developed: Mahari, Nartaki, and Gotipua. The Mahari tradition is the devadasi tradition; endorsed by women who are attached to deities in the temple. The Nartaki tradition is the school of Odissi dance which developed in the royal courts. Gotipua is a style characterized by group of young boys dressed in unique female attire. During the colonial regime the Devadasi tradition in Jagannath Temple (Puri) was abolished and the royal patronage to this dance form was pulled off with the advent of Britishers. With time its gaining its old glory and is an extremely popular dance form in India and abroad. Odissi is an amalgamation of styles (Mudras). The term mudra means "stamp" and is a hand gesture which signifies various emotions and things. The use of mudras helps in telling a story in a much clearer and graphical manner, very similar to the Hula of Hawaii. Few important styles being Tribhangi, Chowka etc. The dance is generally accompanied by Odissi music. There are several instruments used like; Pakhawaj, Bansuri(Flute), Sitar, Manjira and Tanpura. The theme of Odissi commonly revolves around Lord Krishna. Poets like Jayadeva, Kalichandra , Upendra Bhanja’s creations are depicted in this eternal dance form. Main exponents in this field are Guru Kelu Charan Mahapatra, Guru Durga Charan Ranvir, Guru Pankaj Charan Das. The contemporary repertoire of Odissi bears signatures of these patrons . Their pure dance numbers (Pallavis) and interpretive works (Abhinaya) have become classics. This dance form stands out in the crowd for its sophistication, beauty, and an overall sense of aesthetics.