Danda Nata

Danda begins on an auspicious day before the Chaitra Sankranti or Meru Parba with traditional worship and fasting.

All the `Bhoktas` or 'Danduas' lead a very pious life for all these days during the festival and they avoid eating meat, fish or cohabiting during this period.

It is believed that the present day Danda Naata is a part of the ancient Chaitra Yatra festivals being celebrated every year at Tara Tarini Shakti Peetha.

The Kalinga Emperors organised this Chaitra festival for their Ista devi, Tara Tarini.

As per folk lore, during ancient period after 20 days of Danda practice the Danduas must assemble near Tara Tarini Shakti/Tantra Peetha (which is Ista devi of the Great Kalinga rulers) and with some hard rituals culminate their Danda on the last day.

Then a piece of brass material broke off the chain Lord Shiva wore around his ankle and fell on a percussion instrument known as Mardala.

[3] Danda Naata is an Indian dance festival that originated in the Ganjam district of Odisha.

[3][4] The dance is done mainly to worship Lord Shiva, the God of destruction of the Hindu mythology.

There are other Gods and Goddesses that are worshiped by the spiritual dance also, such as Krishna Ganesh, Kali, and Durga amongst others.

[3] People commit self- inflicted wounds to worship Lord Shiva because the philosophy of ancient Hindu says that for a person to be great, one has to have self-control over one's body (Kaya), mind (Mana), and speech (Vakya).

People start Danda by fasting, having a single meal a day made up of rice and dal, and worshipping their Lord before the actual dances occur.

The dancer places a piece of cloth on his shoulders and holds the ends of the same in front with both the hands.

A semi-circular plate, made of bamboo sticks and covered with coloured and decorated cloth with ornamental border, is tied to the back of the Prabhkar.

Then the party performs a leela based on a story from the Ramayana or the Mahabharata or from any other Puran through songs and dances .

Danda Naata is being gradually modernized in respect of music, dance, costume, style and make up.