Dance is such a beautiful art that it is everywhere, and it has always been a way to support community gatherings. People, when they gather together, love dancing, and honestly, no celebration or festival in India passes without dancing. With that, for time immemorial, every tribe or community in India has its distinctive variety of folk dance. And so does the beautiful state known for the very famous Rath Yatra.
Odisha is home to various folk dances and theatres. Still, one of the most popular ones, mostly in the western parts of Odisha today, is Danda Nata, which is closely associated with the ‘Danda Jatra’. It is a ceremonial folk art dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Kali. It is performed in the month of Chaitra-Vaisakha with much enthusiasm. The number of days it is performed differs. It can be for 9 days, 13 days, or 21 days.
Origin
The origin of Danda Jatra can be traced back to the 8th or 9th centuries, and various folk stories are associated with it. Although there is no affirmation as to which story is the truth, different communities believe in different stories. The core of the Danda Jatra is to accomplish self-control over one's own Body (Kaya), Mind (Mana), and Speech (Vakya) through a lot of self-punishment.
"Abhinava Chandrika," a literary work from 1568 A.D., mentions the prevalence of Danda Jatra, confirming that it has been carried forward for a long time and has been a popular folk art since the medieval period.
It is said that, when the practice of Buddhism was declining in Odisha, people started predominantly worshipping Shiva. Since the lower castes were not allowed inside the temple (in the garbhagriha), they worshipped Shiva outside the garbhagriha and were eventually barred from entering the temple premises. Afterward, they began worshipping Shiva for their salvation once a year at a festival called Danda Jatra.
Distinctly, one of the tribal stories about Danda Jatra mentions how a man was caught and bitten by a deadly snake, falling unconscious on the ground while hunting in the forest. His wife, deeply perturbed by her husband's pathetic condition, immediately started praying and worshipping God Shiva and Goddess Kalika, invoking their divine blessings to bring her husband back to life. In the end, both the God and Goddess, pleased with the woman's prayer, blessed her, and her husband finally came back to life, demonstrating the divine aspect of the Nata. This story also emphasizes the eternal truth of the ultimate victory of good over evil and truth over untruth.
Another story from Satyayuga (sourced from Bramhabaibarta Puran and Kali Puran), mentions Mura and Daruna, two powerful demons. However, they met their demise in a battle against the gods. Meanwhile, Mura's wife, Lilabati, was pregnant. Having endured unspeakable torture before giving birth, she named her child "Dandadanab". As Dandadanab grew older, he discovered the meaning behind his name. He received his education from Sukracharya. He practiced intense meditation, focusing on memorizing Brahma's teachings. Eventually, he gained Brahma's grace, which dictated that he could only defeat Lord Vishnu after conquering the gods and goddesses.
Dandadanab defeated the gods and imprisoned them. After some time, Saraswati convinced him to construct a fire container (Kunda) in which the imprisoned gods could jump and die. He got fire from lord Shiva's third eye and ordered the gods to jump into it.
The gods did the same. He laughed so happily to see this that he died too. This laughter was connected to his death as a precondition of Brahma. The fire of Lord Shiva transformed
the gods into heaven and turned the soul of Dandadanab free. People believe that Danda Jatra may have been started as a memory of this.
Even more stories are associated with the Danda Jatra, but these are the most notable ones.
Meaning
Danda Jatra is said to be a festival mainly celebrating the worship of Shiva, in which penance, dance, songs, and physical feats are performed to please Shiva and gain boons.
On another note, 'Danda' also means stick, which here symbolizes a measuring rod of devotion, representing Shiva and Parvati. The usual episode unfolds as follows: a huge wooden rod or a long bamboo stick with 13 knots is worshipped by thirteen or more devotees for nine, thirteen to twenty-one days starting from the day of Chaitra Sankranti.
During this time, the devotees, or Bhaktas (also known as Danduas), observe fasting with austerity. It is believed that people participate in Danda Jatra when they have requests that need to be fulfilled, such as being financially stable, overcoming a difficulty, etc. Various activities take place during this period, and the devotees maintain complete control over their cravings and desires, which will be discussed in the next section. Additionally, they dance and sing songs for the entertainment of all.
The course of the celebration
The individuals participating in this Nata are called Danduas, irrespective of their caste and creed, and there has never been a distinction since the beginning. Whoever wishes to join can do so freely, without hesitating about society's judgment. However, only men are allowed to be part of the Dandua troupe, which usually consists of 13 people or more. The leader of the Danda Nata troupe is called a Patadandua or Pata-bhakta.
During the days of the long worship, the Danduas stay in a group, giving up all worldly pleasures and maintaining complete non-contact with women. They voluntarily renounce everything and endure all ordeals to ensure that their desires are fulfilled after fulfilling their holy commitments.
They also maintain a strict fasting schedule, not eating anything throughout the day and only having simple food at night, in total silence in a remote place away from the village. During this time, they are solely devoted and lost in the thoughts of God Shiva and Goddess Parvati, seeking forgiveness for all the sins they might have committed.
It is believed that enduring these ordeals will liberate the Dandua from the cycle of karma and pratikarma or the law of actions and reactions, freeing themselves from the results of sins committed inadvertently or otherwise.
The austerities and physical sufferings include walking on fire, piercing the back with sharp nails, using poisonous snakes as garlands and making them sting the body, piercing the tongue, or walking on a sharp sword's edge.
In particular, it is performed through four phases in a day. It begins with Dhuli Danda (Danduas sleep on hot sand during the day) and ends with a theatrical performance and Pani Danda (Danduas remain inside a water body for more than one hour) and Agni Danda (Danduas play with holy fire) are performed in between. In the night Danda Nata is enacted to keep the Danduas awake and to move the Shiva power everywhere. It is believed that the power of Shiva helps establish peace everywhere. Finally, the man named Binakar, who plays on the Bina and worships Lord Siva and other deities declares the end of the daily festival of Danda.
Furthermore, the bhaktas move from village to village and perform at a house on invitation. Whether someone in the family is childless, poor, or suffering from an incurable disease, the householder usually vows to become a bhakta next time if their miseries are removed. To ensure that happens, the troupe dances and sings, praying for the householder's welfare. They are accompanied by musical instruments like Dholo (drum), Jhanja (Cymbals), Mahuri or Kahali (Trumpet), Magaravina (a bow with jingling bells), Mukhavina (a shahanai-like wind instrument), Gini and Kartal, etc.
After their ordeal, the danduas break the sacred thread during a bath, marking the end of Danda Nata. They then enjoy a feast of non-vegetarian dishes, bringing the ceremonies to an auspicious close.
The Danduas follow this days-long ceremony with deep dedication, showing remarkable faith and devotion. Every moment reflects a deep-rooted reverence, passed down through generations, making this ancient tradition truly one of a kind.
References:
Dibya Ranjan Tripathy, "Dhuli Danda Nata of Kandhamal District - Reflection of Life Through Various Pranks" (2024)
Appa Rao, "Relevance of Danda Nata in the Contemporary Scenario" (2020)
Pratap Kumar Dash, "Danda Jatra and Danda Nata : A Display of Pain
and Pleasure of Oriya Devotees" (2004)
*The pictures are not owned by me. It is purely for educational purposes only.
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