Jagdish Panigrahi And His Battle To Save Ganjam's 200-Year-Old 'Pashumukha' Folk Dance
Pashumukha or Animal-Face dance of Odisha blends animal masks, body art and rhythm, creating a rare folk tradition that has survived for over 200 years.
Published : January 3, 2026 at 4:11 PM IST
By Sameer Kumar Acharya
Berhampur: Ganjam district of Odisha, known for its rich culture and tradition, is home to a rare and visually-striking folk tradition that has sustained over two centuries, albeit amidst challenges. Known as the Pashumukha (animal-face) dance, it is performed by humans wearing animal masks. Apart from entertaining audience, the form usually is centred around a social message. But at a time when folk traditions like Pashumukha are losing audience, Jagdish Panigrahi of Bhanjanagar, one of the exponents of the style and a researcher, has been propagating and documenting the dance form at various platforms.
Recognising his decades-long effort, Panigrahi was recently conferred the South Odisha Folk Culture Award at Berhampur University,
Born on April 22, 1972 to Gourahari Panigrahi and Nishamani Devi, Jagdish was drawn to folk traditions from childhood, inspired by Guru Shantanu Kumar Dash. It was his interactions with his Guru that he decided to dedicate his life to Odisha’s folk culture.
In 1999, he founded the Vishva Janani Kala Parishad, which has been playing a major role in promoting folk dance and folk theatre of South Odisha at state, national and international platforms. Over the years, Panigrahi has worked with institutions such as the National School of Drama, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), the Ministry of Culture, and various zonal cultural centres of the Government of India and received over 22 state and national honours for his contribution to the art.
Routinely performed during village festivals, yatras, temple rituals and cultural events, the dance form has achieved national and international recognition over the years. While performing, the dancers don mask on the face and body that are of wild animals such as tigers, bears, elephants and deer. They move rhythmically to traditional folk instruments. Experts believe, the dance in itself is a message to save wildlife, forests and mankind.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Panigrahi detailed on why originality is considered the soul of the art form. “From musical instruments to costumes, if we compromise the original form, the next generation will only see folk dances in museums,” he said, warning against any kind of modernisation.
He emphasised the Guru-Shishya tradition, through which artistes are trained not only to perform but also to maintain the philosophy and discipline of the dance. “Development is necessary, but cannot be compromised at the cost of the soul of the art,” he stressed.
Discussing how folk artists are struggling to make their presence in modern stages, the exponent criticised urban interpretations which often dilute indigenous styles. "Through Bishwa Janani Kala Parishad, efforts are being made to bring rural folk artists from villages to national platforms without altering the essence of their tradition. Dance has a body and a soul. If the soul is lost, the body has no meaning,” he remarked.
Local resident Swarup Kumar Panda said that human civilisation has progressed coexisting with animals. He also cited references from the Ramayana where animals helped Lord Ram during his exile.
“The Ghumusar region has preserved the age-old relationship between humans and animals through Pashumukha dance,” he said, appreciating artistes who continue the tradition despite facing livelihood challenges.
Another resident, Manas Ranjan Roul, said the dance deserves wider recognition. “Our artistes have performed all over India. With proper support, this folk art can draw wider audience from across the globe,” he said.
What makes Pashumukha dance unique is its three-fold artistic confluence where it merges dance movement with facial mask artistry, body painting and visual art. Artistes transform their bodies into living canvases, where rhythm amalgamates with colour and character. This aspect in fact is the one important differentiating aspect that sets this tradition apart from most Indian folk dances.
Typically performed by troupes of 15 to 20 artistes, the dance is also a livelihood source for many rural performers who depend solely on this art. But the moment performances reduce, they are faced with challenges to sustain.
Researchers trace the origin of Pashumukha dance to Badakodanda village in the Bhanjanagar region of Ganjam, which has nearly 35 animal-face dance troupes. Among these, 22–25 troupes are active across eight blocks of Bhanjanagar subdivision alone.
Widely performed across Odisha and other Indian states, the Animal-Face dance is also showcased at national-level Independence Day and Republic Day events in New Delhi as Odisha’s folk identity.
Also Read:
