A tale of twin artistry

The video is a documentary on the twin arts of Gotipua dance and Pattachitra of Odisha. The Gotipua is a traditional dance form of Odisha performed by young boys dressed in female attire. The dance is performed in honour of Lord Jagannath and Lord Krishna. The dance combines intense physical prowess with deep religious sentiment. The boys are brought from villages as children to train in this art form. The dance schools are mainly located at three places in the district of Puri; Raghurajpur, Bibirisena and Konark. The art of Pattachitra or cloth painting is a traditional art form of Odisha and the best works are found in the village of Raghurajpur. These paintings depict stories from Hindu mythology with special focus on Lord Jagannath and on the Krishna Lila stories. At Raghurajpur the people either take up the art of Pattachitra or Gotipua by either choice or compulsion.