Odissi is one of the eight classical dance forms of India. According to the archaeological evidences found it is the oldest surviving dance forms. It originates from the state of Orissa and like most other classical dance forms it was performed in temples as a religious offering to God.
The photos below are from a recent Odissi dance recital I attended.The artist - Mrs Anu Narayan is a noted exponent of Odissi. She is a disciple of Smt. Debi Basu (senior disciple of Padma Vibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra). She is a graded artiste of Doordarshan , Mumbai and an empanelled artiste with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
This dance performance was held as part of the "Horizon Series" by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Symbiosis Internantional Cultural Centre.