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Culture of Odisha
The people of Odisha being ruled by various rulers, their culture along with arts and crafts has also emerged accordingly. It is the language and the culture of the Aryans seen in Odisha. These people who made their entry from the north eastern state can be defined as those very primitive nor can you term them to have a decent cultural background. Thus the present style of the living of the people of Odisha is a result of the racial and cultural amalgamation. Also the geography of the state contributes to its culture for the state stands as a coastal corridor between the northern and southern India and having a blend of the races and cultures of the Aryans and the Dravidians. Though the people and the state are slowly getting urbanized, still certain primitive traditions and values are kept alive in its original or ancient form for the major portion of the state is largely in its ruralform. The people of Odisha are known for their rich cultural heritage and have an amalgamation of the Jagannath cult, the Vaishnav cult and Buddhism and Sivayat cult. Odia apart from being the oldest language of the state is also the most commonly spoken and the official language of the state where at least 85% of the total population speak this language. There is also other tribal languages spoken by the different group of tribal people.


 

The cultural elements of Odisha :

    • Cuisine

    If you're from Bengal, you are going to find multiple similarities between the two cuisines. But the fact that your ultimate love, Roshogolla actually originated in Odisha will wow you!

    And to address the mystery of the general pot-bellies, Odias love rice. It is the staple around here. Compared to cuisines of other states, Odia cuisine uses less oil and spice but packs in a bountiful dash of flavour.

    A typical Odia meal consists of rice, dal/dalma (a kind of dal cooked with nutritious vegetables), a vegetable dish or two, something fried and a fish/meat curry. Traditional dishes like Pakhala (water-soaked rice), Chhena Poda (a roasted cheese dessert) and Mansa Tarkari (meat curry cooked with potatoes) are loved all over the state irrespective of innumerable dialects, uniting natives together.

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  • Costume


Women adorn themselves with saris mostly, the famous ones being - Kataki, Bomkai and Sambalpuri. The Sambalpuri Ikat saris are the most sought-after buys made by tourists. Even though its tie and dye process is borrowed from Indonesia, the designing is indigenous and original with weaving practices and techniques unparalleled in other parts of India.

Men traditionally sport the Dhoti-Kurta along with the Gamucha (a thin, coarse cotton towel). 

Odisha may be still catching up to the fast-paced ways of urbanity and it may not even be on top of your must-visit places, but one cannot deny the charm that small towns always carry. The sense of satisfaction that you will get while relishing a plate of Bhaata -Dali-Bhaja (rice-dal-fry) at a small eatery, enjoying a free-wheeling conversation with the friendliest locals, remains unmatched.

  • Music & Dances

Odisha is predominantly a land of tribes and each tribe has its distinct song and style of dance. Anyone delving into the vast pool of elements that define Odisha's culture must definitely take into account the Odissi music which forms a whole branch of Indian classical music. Even before the development of Odia as a language, Odissi songs had been written. Notable Odia poet Jayadeva was the first to have composed lyrics to be sung and this gave shape to Odissi music. Very different from the ragas of Hindustani and Carnatic music, Odissi ragas are sung in druta tala (fast beats). The classical dance of Odissi is performed with this form of music.

Dances

Chhau

This is a form of tribal martial dance that originated in Mayurbhanj.

Gotipua

Gotipua refers to boy dancers who dress up as girls. Always dancing in pairs, boys aged from 6 to 14 are usually students of akhadas or gymnasia set in the periphery of the Puri temple. Enthralling acrobatic moves complement the singing which is done by the boys themselves.

Pala

A unique form of balladry, it combines Odissi music, elements of theatre and Sanskrit poetry along with the must-have wit and humour.

Dalkhai (Sambalpuri)

Ask any Odia about Odisha's folk dances and 'Sambalpuri' might be the first thing you will hear. There are many other forms of Sambalpuri dance but Dalkhai is the most famous one. It originated in the tribes of Sambalpur and is continued to be performed especially in festivals like Dussehra.

 



  • Festivals

Ratha Yatra

The annual chariot festival held at Puri, which is flocked by millions of devotees. It involves transporting idols of deities namely, Jagannath, Balabadhra and Subhadra on a grand chariot from the Puri temple to the Gundicha temple who stay there for a period of nine days.

Prathamashtami

Celebrated to pray for a long life for the firstborns, it is a major winter festival. The sweet, delectable delicacy Enduri Pitha is made especially for this occasion.

Rajo

A three-day festival celebrated in mid-June, this is a significant occasion for girls as it is dedicated to the worship of earth Goddess. Swings are played on and pithas (special rice cake delicacies) are exchanged.

Durga Puja

If there is any place after Kolkata that is a must visit during Durga Puja, it is Cuttack. Richly decorated idols are installed in pandals, bringing about a uniform spirit of holiness in the state. Both Navratri and Vijaydashmi are celebrated with huge pomp and show.

 

Maha Shivaratri

Considered as the night on which Lord Shiva performed his Tandava dance, it is celebrated by observing fast and visiting Shiva temples. Married women pray for the well-being of their spouses and unmarried women pray for an ideal husband.

People across Odisha celebrate Shivaratri with gusto. Apart from these traditional festivals, Odisha has highlighted its culture by bringing into focus various fests.

 

 




  • Traditions

Mostly the people of Odisha including the tribal population follow the traditions pertaining to the Hindus with a small variation depending on the various racial groups they originate from and finally it is displayed as a blend. Mostly all the religious and social ceremonies like wedding, birth and death include singing songs, rural dances along with feasts. The people believe in supernatural beings and they don't have one standard god or spirit for their belief changes as new ones come their way. These supernatural beings vary from each other by composition, function, character and nature. Some are charitable; some are impartial and some are ill-disposed, to which more importance was given by the people. The main outlook of the tribal people was that of the prediction of the environment for all the ritual activities are based on these natural powers.
 

 

  • Arts & Craft

The people were very much patronized by the Kings for their artistic performances and this led to creativity by the artists in various fields and has passed on to ages. Some of the most famous Oriya paintings are the Bhitichitra or the murals, the Patachitra or the cloth painting and the Pothichitra or the palm leaf engraving .These paintings mainly uses motifs and themes based on folklores, legends and myths. The people of Odisha are very famous for their applique work which is a method of art involving super imposing patches of colored cloth on a fabric base to create bright and vivid bedcovers, garden umbrellas, wall hangings and hand fan,s etc.

 

 

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