Odissi, one of India’s most famous classical dance styles, has its roots in the Hindu temples of the state of Odisha, which is located on the country’s eastern coast. Its theoretical foundations can be found in the ancient Sanskrit Hindu literature “Natya Shastra,” which discusses performing arts. Odisha Hindu temples and other historically significant locations connected to Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism are the source of the age-old Odissi tradition, the sculptures of which embellish the dancing postures of this art form.
Odissi’s performance repertoire includes invocation, nrita, nritya, natya, and moksha.
It is an illustrated story of legendary and religious stories, devotional poems, and spiritual ideas emoted by dancers with great body movements, expressions, impressive gestures, and sign language. Themes from Vaishnavism as well as those connected to Hindu gods and goddesses like Shiva, Surya, and Shakti are used in the Odissi dance style.
The origins of Odissi dance may be traced back to the temples of Odisha during the second century BCE, making it one of the oldest classical dance styles still in existence in the nation. Similar to all other Indian classical dance styles, Odissi performances were a component of temple adoration. The vibrant sculptures of different dancing postures etched on the walls of Konark’s temples bear witness to this.