Ghoda Nacha - ଘୋଡ଼ା ନାଚ

Ghoda Nacha (Odia: ଘୋଡ଼ା ନାଚ) or Chaiti Ghoda Nacha is a folk dance of Odisha. It's a unique form of performing arts. This dance form is essentially a folk dance form of the fishermen's community of Odisha.

The fisherman community in Odisha is known as the Keutas (କେଉଟ) in Odia. A male artist enters within a decorated dummy horse or Ghoda and dances to songs written in the dialect of the community.

They learn this dance from their forefathers. This performance is known as Chaiti Ghoda. This dance form was originally performed only during the eight-day festival of Chaitra Purnima by the Keuta community members.


According to mythology, the earth was submerged in the Satya Yug. Everything except Kalpabat was submerged in water. Vishnu, who was in eternal sleep in Kalpabat, made men out of his eardrums.

The Raghav fish in the water swallowed the man. Vishnu awoke on the full moon day of Chaitra, he killed the Raghav fish and rescued the man, and the man was named Kaibarta. The earth has returned to its former state again.

Vishnu gifted a horse to the Kaibarta and asked him to worshiped goddess Baseli to live happily. From then, Kaibarta started fishing and worshiping Baseli on the full moon of Chaitra and danced with that horse. On this day, the Kaibarts wear new clothes and worship boats and nets also.






* All these photographs are taken by Arabinda Mohanty.

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