Dance Of The Divine: The Enduring Ritual Of Ganjam’s Bagha Nacha At Maa Budhi Thakurani Yatra In Odisha
What started as a centuries-old tradition in Ganjam district, where the goddess Maa Budhi Thakurani reigns supreme, continues till date with reverence by devotees.
Published : April 19, 2025 at 5:25 PM IST
By Sameer Kumar Acharya
Berhampur: After days of fast, penance and rituals, they besmear their bodies in the colours of the turmeric and dip in the essence of sandalwood. As soon as the Changu (a tribal rhythm instrument) drums echo all around, they are lifted to a state of trance while casting a spell all around. The onlookers' eyes stare at the fierceness of the men painted in stripes of tiger, from head to toe, as they start dancing, carrying with them the wild and the divine. Adorned with garlands, these dancers dance in joy, roar and express their devotion to the presiding deity Goddess Budhi Thakurani.
Known as Bagha Nacha (tiger dance), the historic folk dance form of Ganjam, the dancers invoke the divine and please her with artistry, faith, and tradition during the 'Thakurani Yatra', a fair held once in two years to celebrate the deity's homecoming.
Explaining the relevance of the Bagha Nacha, a regular performer Raj Kumar Behera says, more than the performance, this dance of divinity takes one on a spiritual journey. "The 'mansik dhari' (the one who vows) devotees have to observe fasting, maintain celibacy, and mental discipline before donning the role of a dancer. They shave their body, wear turmeric and sandalwood paste all over the body and spend hours to paint their bodies in tiger-like stripes," says Behera.
A process of painting that takes five to six hours per person, the colours used are often mixed with egg and oil to create a long-lasting shine. The preparation of the pocha (colour) takes more than two months, Behera says. After body painting is done, the performers wear the tiger mask after it is consecrated by deity Budhi Thakurani.
The costume the dancers wear costs between Rs 35,000 and Rs 40,000, which is considered an oblation to the goddess. Once ready, the dancers are accompanied by around 20 to 25 people wherever they travel and perform throughout the night. "These people help the performers move from one place to another through the lanes and by-lanes before offering prayers to Maa Budhi Thakuranti at the temporary place she resides at during the Yatra," Behera adds.
The tiger dance is connected deeply to people's personal wishes. Each participant comes with a vow or wish which they place at the feet of the goddess. For Sunil Nayak, it was a wish his mother had nurtured. “My mother actually had been wishing to wear the tiger attire but since she could not do so in the last 48 years, I wanted to fulfill her dream.”
Others like Bichu Sahu, a water carrier in the city, speak of similar emotional journeys. Sahu recalls how he had been dreaming of performing the Bagha Nacha. "It is believed that if you perform the dance, it is by Ma's grace only. Now I feel my desire is fulfilled," he says. Similarly Chitta Ranjan Nag, another devotee says, “I felt the pride of being a Bagha Nacha dancer when I wore the costume. It felt like Ma accepted me,” he says with his eyes moistened. “This is my second chance as a performer and it makes me feel closer to the goddess," he quickly adds.
Explaining the relevance of Bagha Nacha, researcher Hrushikesh Panigrahi says the dance tradition is unique and gaining admiration of people outside the state and the country. "Ganjam’s Bagha Nacha is unique. It was incorporated in Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s internationally-acclaimed film Bagh Bahadur, where he had attributed the importance of the dance tradition in the credits, at the end of the movie,” he says.
On how important is the role of the tiger in the folk dance form, Panigrahi says, it is not just a performer, it is a symbol of the divine power. “Ma Budhi Thakurani is an incarnation of Bana Durga, who rode on her vahana (mount) tiger when she returned to her father's house during the yatra. When she rejoices her homecoming, even her vahana dances in joy and there started the tradition of Bagha Nacha,” Panigrahi explains.
In this part of the state, the Bagha Nacha performers are held in high esteem. "They are considered special, on par with celebrity artistes and musicians," Panigrahi adds. “But it is not an easy path. One has to do sadhana, hard penance, train under a guru to learn the postures, the footwork, and understand the meaning behind each step and movement,” he further informs.
As tradition gives way to modernity, the Bagha Nacha tradition remains untouched and continues unbroken. While the performers feel blessed as they dance to the rhythm of the Changu, they hold a prayer on their lips to invoke the goddess' blessings one more time, through their devotion and motion, two years later.
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