Odissi music

Odissi music (Odia: ଓଡ଼ିଶୀ ସଙ୍ଗୀତ, romanized: oṛiśī sangīta, Odia: [oɽisi sɔŋgit̪ɔ] ^ⓘ) is a genre of classical music originating from the eastern state of Odisha. Rooted in the ancient ritual music tradition dedicated to the deity Jagannatha, Odissi music has a rich history spanning over two thousand years, distinguished by its unique sangita-shastras (musical treatises), a specialized system of Ragas and Talas, and a distinctive style of performance characterised by specific modulations such as the āndolita and the kurāla. Odissi compositions are largely written in Sanskrit and Odia.

The various compositional forms of Odissi music include Odissi Prabandha, Chaupadi, Chhanda, Champu, Chautisa, Janāna, Mālasri, Bhajana, Sarimāna, Jhulā, Kuduka, Koili, Poi, Boli, and more. Presentation dynamics are roughly classified into four: rāgānga, bhābānga, nātyānga and dhrubapadānga. Some great composer-poets of the Odissi tradition are the 12th-century poet Jayadeva, Krupasiddhā Balarama Dasa, Atibadi Jagannatha Dasa, Dinakrusna Dasa, Kabi Samrata Upendra Bhanja, Banamali Dasa, Kabisurjya Baladeba Ratha, Kabikalahansa Gopalakrusna Pattanayaka and Abhimanyu Samanta Singhara.

According to Bharata Muni's Natya Shastra, Indian classical music has four significant branches: Avanti, Panchali, Odramagadhi and Dakshinatya. Of these, Odramagadhi exists in the form of Odissi music. Odissi music had already crystallised as an independent style by the time of the early medieval Odia poet Jayadeva, who composed lyrics meant to be sung, set to ragas and talas unique to the local tradition. However, Odissi songs were written even before the Odia language developed. Odissi music has a rich legacy dating back to the 2nd century BCE, when king Kharavela, the ruler of Odisha (Kalinga), patronized this music and dance.

The traditional artforms of Odisha such as Mahari, Gotipua, Prahallada Nataka, Radha Prema Lila, Pala, Dasakathia, Bharata Lila, Khanjani Bhajana and more are all based on Odissi music. Odissi dance, one of the classical dances of India from the state of Odisha, is performed solely with Odissi music.