Odisha Odyssey: Beyond Beaches & Temples: The Living Crafts of Odisha

India is an incredibly diverse country—geographically, culturally, and historically. An interesting State, which is often missed in the popular tourist itineraries, is Odisha. Odisha ( formerly Orissa ) is a State alongside the east coast of India. It is a treasure trove of traditional crafts and textiles, many of which are deeply tied to its temple traditions and tribal heritage.

History of Odisha

Odisha’s history spans thousands of years and is marked by cultural richness and political significance. In the Ancient Period it was known as Kalinga, Utkala, and Odra Desha. Ports flourished along the coast in the 4^th & 5^th centuries BC. For instance, seafaring merchants went to Java, Sumatra, Borneo & Bali with their merchandise. During the Medieval Period, the Eastern Ganga and Gajapati kings ruled this land and built architectural marvels such as the Konark Sun Temple & the Jagannath Temple.

And finally Odisha became a separate province in 1936, due to its Odia language and cultural identity.

Some of the best places to visit in Odisha are :

Puri 

It is a beach side town and the beach is a major attraction with its golden sands. The  world renowned Jagannath Temple is in Puri .It is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. In addition, the Temple is known for its annual Rath Yatra  Chariot festival. The deities of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra & Subadra are taken out on  a procession  around the city,in elaborately decorated Temple Cars. As a matter of fact, the festival dates back centuries and is considered the oldest and largest Hindu chariot festival.

Konark  Sun Temple

This  UNESCO World Heritage is a Hindu Temple, dedicated to Surya, the Sun God. The temple was designed as a 100ft high chariot with 12 pairs of wheels & seven horses carved from stone. Konark is about an hour’s drive from Puri.

Raghurajpur Artist Village

Visiting Raghurajpur is like walking through an open-air art gallery, where every home is a studio and every lane tells a story of Odisha’s living traditions. For instance, the Pattachithra(painting on canvas) painting is most popular here & every home has a painter. Further, the village also nurtures Gotipua dance troupes. It is recognized as a heritage village by INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage. It is an hour’s drive from Konark.

Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha,

 is  famous for its temples. For instance, the Lingaraj Temple, built in the 11^th Century is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Above all, it is a fine example of Kalinga architecture and made with laterite stone. The beautifully sculpted tower is nearly 180ft high. Dhaulagiri Stupa is one of the famous Buddhist destinations near Bhubaneshwar. In addition, it is a place where  the Emperor Ashoka, renounced the path of violence and embraced Buddhism. Moreover, one of  the edicts of King  Ashoka, dating from between 272 and 236 BCE, remains carved in rock, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) to the southwest of Bhubaneshwar.  Further, Udayagiri & Khandagiri are rock cut  Jain caves near Bhubaneshwar.

Cuttack,

The British made Cuttack the administrative Capital of Odisha. It is a twin city to Bhubaneswar. Some of the important Government offices are located there.

Chilika Lake

is Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon, bird sanctuary & dolphin sightings area. It is a biodiversity spot. It is the 2^nd largest coastal lagoon in the world.

Gopalpur

 has an ancient sea port which was operational during the Kalinga reign. As a matter of fact, Gopalpur, was once a Dutch establishment. Subsequently ,The East India Company built warehouses to trade with Burma.

Art, & Crafts of Odisha

Pattachitra Painting

The crafts & textiles of Odisha reflect its rich history. In other words, they are  known for exquisite craftsmanship in stone, metal, & fine handlooms in silk & cotton. Its culture takes inspiration from Tribal, Jain, Buddhist Shaivite & Vaishnavite  religions .

Let us  explore some of the Crafts & Textiles of Odisha

Stone Sculptures

• Pattachitra is a colourful & intricate cloth-based painting depicting mythological stories, especially dedicated  to Lord Jagannath of Puri.  Further, Raghurajpur Artist village mentioned above, is the center of this tradition.
• Applique Work in Pipili town near Puri uses  colorful fabric patchwork, often used in temple decorations and umbrellas.
• Silver Filigree –Fine silver wire jewelry and decorative art is from  Cuttack.
• Dhokra Casting:  This is a tribal metal craft using the lost-wax technique.
• Stone and Wood Carving: similar to temples like Konark and Jagannath.  Individual stone carvings are available for retail purchases.The stone carving is of celestial figures & is exquisitely done as in Temples.
• Handloom Textiles: Odisha handlooms feature iconic designs like Sankh, Chakra, Phula (flower), birds, animals like tiger, elephant, Fish & temple borders

Odisha Textiles

Odisha handlooms started with weaving sacred cloth for Lord Jagannath. Above all,the devotion of the people of Odisha to Lord Jagannath has translated into adapting Vaishnava symbols into the weaving tradition of handlooms. Later, when the poet Jayadev(12th C Hindu poet)  began writing the  Gita Gobinda, he felt the most appropriate way to express his devotion was to weave the poems into the cloth woven for the Lord. Therefore, even today, we find Gita Govinda Pata or Kenduli Khandua (sacred handwoven fabric)  is offered to the Lord with at least one popular verse from Gita Gobinda woven on it.  In addition, the Nabakothi, with nine sacred symbols woven into nine houses or boxes in silk, is also a  popular pattern.

Nuapatna, located about 70 km from Bhubaneswar in Odisha, is one of the most renowned weaving clusters in India. It is celebrated for its unique Ikat weaving tradition, which has been practiced for centuries and continues to thrive today. Other handloom types include

Nuaptana Village Master Weaver – Sarath Patra(Padmashree Awardee)

• • Sambalpuri Ikat: Tie-dye technique (“bandha”) producing geometric and floral motifs.
  • Bomkai Sarees: Tribal-inspired designs with contrasting borders.
  • Berhampuri Patta: Silk sarees traditionally used in temple rituals.
  • Kotpad Fabrics: Naturally dyed textiles from tribal communities.

Odissi Dance & others

Odissi Temple Dance

Odissi – is one of the oldest surviving dance forms that  originated in the temples. For example, it has distinct postures as can be seen in some of the temple carvings. In other words , it is characterised by  sensuous movements , pure dance steps(Nritta) & Abhinaya.(facial expression)

Gotipua Dance  Gotipua is a traditional centuries old dance form. Young boys dressed as females  perform this dance to honour Lord Jagannath.

Gotipua Dance

The Mayurbanj Chau is a semi classical martial dance form and is  performed without masks.Further,  Dhol Drums and Shehnai are used a s musical instruments.

In conclusion, Odisha’s temples are not isolated monuments. They ensure that the rich heritage & glorious history is preserved.  As a matter of fact, they drive the rhythm of everyday life &provide a strong cultural identity. The temples safeguard traditions through  their rituals, dance, music & painting.

With Contributions from Dr. KanakaDurga