Folk dance forms of Odisha
Laudi Khela, also known as Gauda Nacha is a form of dance practiced in some coastal districts of Odisha, including Cuttack, Jajapur, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Bhadrak, Baleswar, Dhenkanal, and Angul.
The dance is associated with social entertainment, relaxation, love, devotion and friendly brotherhood among all class, creed and religion in the present days.
Traditionally this dance is also associated with Nuakhai and Dasahara celebration in Kalahandi and large parts of South Western Odisha.
Ghumura dance is still hidden in the village level in South Western Orissa and some parts of bordering Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Ghumura dance has got the opportunity to represent the nation in various international events Delhi, Moscow, Kolkata, and various other cities in India.
The dance is a stylized mock battle in which two groups of dancers armed with swords and shields, alternatively attack and defend themselves with vigorous movements and elegant stances.
Boys are recruited about the age of six and continue to perform till they are 14, then become teachers of the dance or join drama parties.
The goti puas, being youngsters in their formative years, can adapt their bodies to the dance in a far more flexible manner as opposed to the maharis.
A goti pua presentation is ably supported by a set of three musicians, who play the pakhawaj, the gini or cymbals and the harmonium.
The dancer (only men) paints his bare body with yellow and black stripes like that of a tiger and attaches a suitable tail.
Though Dusserah is the occasion of Sambalpuri folk dance Dalkhai, it's the most popular folk-dance of Odisha, its performance is very common on all other festivals such as Bhaijiuntia, Phagun Puni, Nuakhai, etc.
This is mostly danced by young women of Binjhal, Kuda, Mirdha, Sama and some other tribes of Sambalpur, Balangir, Sundargarh, Bargarh and Nuapada districts.
The dance is accompanied by a rich orchestra of folk music played by a number of instruments known as Dhol, Nisan, Tamki, Tasa and Mahuri.
The love story of Radha and Krishna, the episodes from Ramayana and Mahabharata, the description of natural scenery are represented through the songs.
The women generally dress themselves in colourful Sambalpuri Saris and wear a scarf on the shoulders holding the ends below in both the hands.
This pastoral Sambalpuri folk dance is performed during the worship of the god or goddess of fate (Karam Devta or Karamsani Devi), whom the people consider the cause of good and bad fortune.
The dance performance full of vigour and energy combined with charm of the youth decked with colourful costumes in exuberance of red cloth, set in peacock feathers, skillfully designed ornaments made of small conch shells, brings the onlookers as well as the performers to a mood of trance and ecstasy.
The subject matter of songs constitutes the description of nature, invocation to Karmasani, desires, aspiration of people, love and humour.
