Gotipua Dance

Raghurajpur Heritage Village
Orissa

Raghurajpur, a rural heritage village near Konarak, is the headquarters of a troupe that performs traditional Gotipua (Young Boy's) Dance under the direction of Guru Maguni Das. Originally a 17th century solo dance performed during festivals at temples and monasteries, Gotipua has been adapted as a group dance for the modern stage. The performers are young boys who dance and compose themselves into acrobatic poses that recreate images from the story of Krishna and his favorite consort, Radha.

The villagers also make and sell exquisitely detailed line paintings, many of high quality, recounting the multiple incarnations of Vishnu.