India, 1990 Puri, Odisha, India. インド オリッサ州 プリー Photography by Michitaka Kurata

Rare Black Tiger marking its territory in Odisha

Technically called the melanistic tigers, they are exclusively found in Simlipal Tiger Reserve of Odisha. As per the latest census their total count is only 10.

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Aesthetics of Odisha~

✿.・。.・゜✭・✿・✫・゜・。. ✿

✿.・。.・゜✭・✿・✫・゜・。. ✿

Quise ser todo lo que él quería,pero ni siéndolo TODO sería yo a la que él quería .

Jagannath Temple Hindu temple, Puri, Odisha, India: The Jagannath Temple is an important Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath, a form of Vishnu–one of the trinity of supreme divinity in Hinduism. It is located in Puri in the state of Odisha, situated on the eastern coast of India. King Indradyumna of Avanti built the main temple of Jagannath at Puri. Wikipedia

Mahima Dharma disciples - Joranda Monastery, 2024

January 2, 2024!

For someone like me, who isn't living a very active lifestyle for last few years and almost spend all her time reading in bed, the thought of climbing is very off-putting.

But I always wanted to see Khandadhar Waterfalls. So, I pushed myself to climb these steps (more than 500) to reach the base of the waterfall.

The view when you reached the base is enchanting. I am glad I didn't skip it, fearing the exertion, otherwise I would have regretted it later.

Khandadhar Waterfalls is located at Nandapani, distance of few kilometres from Bonaigarh, a subdivision of Sundargarh District of Odisha. It is said to be highest waterfall in Odisha and 12th highest in India.

Goddess shrine at Nagpur, Puri District, Odisha

The Endangered Dance Form Of West Bengal

Dance, art, and culture and an adda at the local chai shop make a bangali, a pure bangali. Let's have an adda over tea about the endangered dance form, Chhau dance, also spelled Chhou dance. It is found in other regions of India like Jharkhand, and Odisha with different forms and names- Purulia Chhau of West Bengal, the Seraikella Chhau of Jharkhand, and the Mayurbhanj Chhau of Odisha. The dance includes everything from a structured dance with Shaivist, Shakti, and Vaishnavist religious themes to a celebration of martial arts, acrobatics, and athletics done in the festive themes of a folk dance.

It is customarily performed by an all-male group, and the dance may be a syncretic dance form that evolved from the blending of classical Hindu dances and the customs of long-extinct local tribes. The dance is remarkable and unites individuals from various socioeconomic levels in a joyful and religious atmosphere. Performed by male dancers who trained under Gurus or Ustads (masters), or who come from families of traditional artists. Its roots can be found in indigenous dance and combat styles. The basic language of Chhau dance consists of khel (fake combat moves), chalis and topkas (stylized animal and bird gaits), and uflis (movements based on a country housewife's everyday tasks). Oral transmission is used to pass on the knowledge of dance, music, and mask-making. It lasts all night long and is performed in an area known as an akhada or asar.

Local mythology, folklore, scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as abstract concepts, are some of the topics covered by the dancers' repertory. The vibrant music is characterized by the rhythm of indigenous drums like the dhol, dhumsa and kharka and the melody of the mohuri and shehnai. The majority of the dancers are from the Munda, Mahato, Kalindi, Pattnaik, Samals, Daroga, Mohanty, Acharya, Bhol, Kar, Dubey, and Sahoo communities. Musicians come from the Mukhi, Kalindi, Ghadhei, and Dhada groups. They take part in the instrument production as well. Communities of traditional painters known as Maharanas, Mohapatras, Sutradhars are involved in the making of these masks.

Not only were Paika and Natua the forerunners of Chhau dance (particularly Purulia style), but Nachni dance also had a significant influence on the way Chhau is known today. The female moves and gaits used in Chhau dance are virtually solely taken from Nachni dance. The Chhau dance was added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010. The Government Chhau Dance Centre and the Mayurbhanj Chhau Nritya Pratisthan were created by the Government of Odisha in 1960 and 1962, respectively, in Seraikella and Baripada.

Odisha's Tableau at 75th Republic Day parade, New Delhi!

The theme of the tableau was 'women empowerment in Viksit Bharat'.

The tableau showcased the rich handicraft and handloom sector of the State, especially the village 'Raghurajpur' and how women play a pivotal role in the sector.

Odisha got a chance of sending a tableau to the Republic Day parade after a gap of 3 years.

India, 1990 Puri, Odisha, India. インド オリッサ州 プリー Photography by Michitaka Kurata

Rath Yatra

This day almost always comes with a bit of rain, a flood of memories from my childhood.....The nakuldana and batasha prasad, decorating the ratha and rather mela....and the beginning of the anticipation for Durga Pujo as Kumartuli artisans start building the frameworks of the Durga idols.

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Bhubaneswar, India