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Ganjam is famous for Dasakathia which is the most indigenous form of ballad singing in Odisha. It is the most inexpensive but popular form of both folk dance and play that has received international recognition. The etymological meaning of Dasa is devotee or Bhakta and Kathi means Kathatali (wooden pieces played in tune with the players).
It is performed by a team of two persons. Learned pundits with extensive knowledge in puranas, sastras and old literature perform this dance art by narrating different mythological themes with touches of satire and modern taste to entertain the audience.35 In this dance, a ballad is sung by two persons viz. Gayakas or Guru and the Palia or disciple. Gayakas is the main singer and Palia is the assistant singer or repeater who sings with the help of the Gayakas. The refrain of each couplet is repeated by the Palia. He assumes equal importance for his witty and humours to make the singing lively.
In this dance, the singers sing with a pair of castanets of wooden clappers. These clappers are not hollows but solid and resonant, fitted with a bunch of tiny ankle bells. The Gayakas play with the two pair of clappers simultaneously in both the hands and prove his skill and dexterity. But, the Palia held the clappers in the left hand with four fingers in between to keep them apart and played by the right hand with the thump pressing the upper one with a jerk to strike below. In this folk play the Gayakas’s instrument is called Ramatala and Palia’s is known as Laxmantala.
These two persons stage the whole drama. The main topics covered by the Daskathia team are Subhadra Harana, Nilendri Harana, Usha Harana, Surekha Harana, Sobhavati Harana, Sachala Harana and Chandrakala Haran, Chandrabati- harana, Sita-harana, Tripuramohini-harana, Chitraketu-Sarana, Chitrasena-Sarana, Dandiraja-Sarana Kansa-Marana, Karna- Marana etc. They act all the parts, change their tone hour after hour and introduce humorous stories to break the monotony. They utilize their good knowledge of Puranas for attracting mass minds. They are patuas in singing ordinary and Puranic songs; palawallas in dress and tone; and Gotipuas in their dance and action.
At intervals during the singing of the ballad, the Palia puts questions in simple prose-dialogue and the singer (Gayakas) answers through the songs. By this, the musical narration becomes more explanatory to the common village audience. Intermittently, the Palia also sings doggerels and banters to provide enough comic relief. Both the singer and the Palia not only sing, they enliven the performance with unsophisticated dramatic actions and mild dancing.
Dasa-Kathia is said to have been originated in the 15th century in the village Pitala of Ganjam district.39 According to a reaserch scholar of folk theatre, Bayamanu Charchi, Agadhu Sahu of Khandara near Hinjilicut was the pioneer artist who popularized this Folk Dance. Thereafter, their eldest son Krishna Chandra Gayakasratna and Binayak Sabat devoted their energy to the enrichment of this folk play. The theme of the play is taken from the great episodes of Ramayana, Mahabharata and other Puranas. The compositions are mostly chosen from that of medieval poets who flourished between fourteenth to eighteenth centuries. These folk-plays are titled as Subhadra harana, Karnabaddha and Jambhubati harana etc. Dasa-Kathia is with Chhanda, Chautisa and Chaupadi. Poems of Kabi Samrat composed Upendra Bhanja, Kabi Surya Baladev Rath, and Gopal Krishna are profusely used to enthrall the peoples’ mind. Dasa-Kathia is usually performed in the open sky in the middle of the village street or in somebody’s courtyard or in the precincts.
The Dasa kathia singers mostly belong to Ganjam, the southern most district of Odisha where most of the well-known Odia poets of medieval period flourished. Generally, the traditional singers (Gayakas and Palia) come from the community of lower Brahmins who plough the land and are debarred from taking part in the traditional ritual services. Now a days there are singers from other communities also. They move throughout the length and breadth of south Odisha during the fair weather days to perform their plays. Their performances are usually held in the mid-street or in somebody’s courtyard or in temple precincts depending on the nature of patronage.
Of all the singers of the Dasa kathia, Gayakasaratna Baidyanath Sharma and his disciple Bhimasena Satapathi were most popular. For their unique style of presentation they have won many laurels in and outside the country .He has greatly influenced the present group of singers. There are about 150 Dasa- Kathia troupes only in Ganjam district. The list of villages having Dasakathia troops is given in the appendix-iv.
Dasa-Kathia has close resemblance with Hari Katha and Burakatha of Andhra Pradesh and Baul or Kabigana of West Bengal. 42 Though Agadhu Sahu of village Khandra is said to be the originator of this folk-form, Krishna Chandra Gayakas Ratna of the same village gave real shape to this folk dance. Gayakas and Palia are dressed with colorful robes, turban, Ramanandi Chita, and Ghungur now-a-days.
In recent times, the credit of popularizing Dasa-Kathia beyond national frontiers goes to late Baidyanath Gayakasaratna and Bhimsen Satapathy. The Dasa-Kathia has been used during election campaigns since it is a powerful means of mass communication. No other creative medium is used so extensively and is so popular in Odisha in the recent past as Dasa-Kathia has been. It is being used by Government organisations to propagate developmental activities in the rural areas. Before the advent of Television, All India Radio and Government media used it to bring the message of family planning to the rural masses. up this popular milieu Even now, the State Government has taken to propagate their different programmes for social awareness.
Dasa-Kathia (ଦାସକାଠିଆ) is a unique and vibrant folk art form that blends captivating storytelling, rhythmic music, and dramatic performances. Rooted in the cultural heritage of Ganjam, Odisha, it narrates mythological tales with wit and humor, engaging audiences across generations. Over the years, Dasa-Kathia has evolved from a traditional art to a powerful medium for social awareness and communication, preserving its charm while adapting to modern needs. Its rich history, artistic brilliance, and social relevance continue to make it a cherished cultural treasure of Odisha.
