Odisha’s Craft Legacy: Over 50 Art Forms Still Survive

By Sumitra Parhi

Last year, I began exploring Odisha’s craft villages as a solo traveller. From over 50 unique crafts to heartwarming artisan stories, this journey revealed a world many still don’t know exists. This is the first in the 'Crafts of Odisha' series—a tribute to the hands that keep the soul of Odisha alive.

Last September, I started a journey that I believe will stay with me for a lifetime—a journey across the craft villages of Odisha. What began as a simple travel idea soon transformed into a soul-searching mission. I was not just visiting places; I was walking into homes, lives, and histories woven with love, struggle, and tradition.

So far, I have covered over 30 craft villages—from the handloom hubs of Gopalpur and Kotpad to the painting lanes of Raghurajpur and the metalcraft alleys of Sadeibareni. In every village, I met artisans whose hands told stories that books never could. I watched fingers dance over threads, chisels strike stone with divine rhythm, and brushes breathe life into the fabric. Each craft wasn’t just an art—it was a way of life.

A Culture Woven with Hands

Odisha crafts are not just ornamental or economic—they are cultural lifelines. They are stitched into our sarees, carved into our temples, woven into rituals, and painted in myths. Walk into a temple and you’ll see stone carvings echoing the same motifs found in a Pattachitra painting. Attend a village festival and you’ll spot Silver Filigree crowns adorning deities. From personal occasions like weddings to grand public festivals, crafts in Odisha accompany people through every stage of life.

They are more than art forms; they are living expressions of identity and tradition, nurtured by generations of Odisha artisans.

So Many Crafts, So Little Known

Sabai Grass Craft

Odisha boasts over 55 officially approved traditional crafts, each rooted in a particular region, community, or cultural practice. To understand the richness of this craft legacy, I’ve grouped them into broad categories—each with its own stories, styles, and soul.

1. Natural Fiber Crafts

Using Sabai Grass Craft, Golden Grass craft (Kaincha), Paddy Craft, Coi Craft, Bamboo Craft, Cane, Dhan Murti, Nalia Grass Craft, Banana Fibre Craft, Sisal Fibre Craft, Sitalpati Mats, Siali Lata Craft, Betel Nut Craft, Jute Craft and Palm Leaf artisans create a range of eco-friendly and sustainable crafts.

2. Metal Crafts

Odisha is home to the intricate Tarakasi Silver Filigree, tribal Dhokra Casting, Brass and Bell metal Crafts, Copper Snake, Iron Craft, Bronze & Brass Utensils, and the famous Flexible Brass Fish—a rare blend of utility and beauty.

Dhokra Craft

3. Paintings & Paper Crafts

The iconic Pattachitra painting, Palm Leaf Engraving, Ganjapa, Soura Painting (Rayagada), Gond Painting, Santhal Painting (Mayurbhanj), Ushakothi, and Jhotichita represent the storytelling tradition of Odisha art and craft.

4. Stone, Wood, Shell & Horn Work

Stone Carvings, Wooden Masks, Horn Crafts, and Coconut Shell crafts showcase Odisha’s creative relationship with nature.

5. Pottery, Toys, and others

From Terracotta Toys to Cow dung Toys, Lacquer Crafts, and Leather Craft, these crafts bring childhood memories, festivals, and folklore to life.

6. Handlooms & Textiles
Sambalpuri Ikat, Bomkai, Berhampuri Patta, Kotpad Handloom, Maniabandha Handloom, Gopalpur Tussar Silk, Dongria Kandha Shawl, and Tribal Textile are part of Odisha’s glorious handloom tradition. Each weave carries symbolism, story, and soul.

Kotpad Handloom

7. Puppetry & Performing Arts

Ravana Chhaya, Bagha Nata, Prahalad Nataka, Danda Nata, Chhau, and traditional puppet dances like glove, string, and rod puppetry are integral to Odisha’s folk performance heritage. These handcrafted elements bring myths, rituals, and stories to life on stage, blending art with expression and tradition.

Stories from the Villages

In a small Golden Grass Craft village in Kendrapara, I met Saraswati, a young mother who weaves baskets while feeding her child. “This grass is my job and strength,” she told me. Her fingers moved fast, creating a pattern she had memorized from her mother.

In Ganjam, I watched a 70-year-old artisan shaping a flexible brass fish, a craft now practiced by only a few. “This was my father’s design. I added two extra joints,” he said with pride.
In Raghurajpur, a painter etched a mythological tale on a palm leaf, carefully scratching designs with a needle dipped in ink. “Each line is a prayer,” he whispered.

These aren’t just artisan stories—they are living epics of resilience and devotion.

Raghurajpur

Did You Know?

The flexible brass fish of Ganjam moves like a real fish when touched. It’s a rare traditional marvel made by hand—and fewer than ten artisans in Odisha still know how to craft it.

Odisha’s Legacy in Indian Craft Heritage

Odisha holds a significant place in India’s heritage. Many of its crafts have received Geographical Indication (GI) tags, such as Kotpad handloom, Patachitra, Kapdaganda Shawl, and more - cementing their uniqueness.
Despite their recognition at expos and international craft fairs, it’s in the humble homes and dusty courtyards of Odisha’s villages where the real magic of Indian handicrafts happens.

Struggles Behind the Art

Yet, this magic is under threat. Most artisans struggle with seasonal work, low income, and lack of access to digital markets. Mass-produced imitations are flooding local markets. “My son wants to be a daily labourer, not an artisan,” a craftsman told me, “At least he will earn something steady.”

If this continues, we may lose not just crafts—but entire communities’ identities.

Why Odisha Crafts Matter Now

In a world chasing fast fashion and machine-made perfection, Odisha crafts offer something different: meaning.

These crafts are sustainable, community-rooted, and often use natural or recycled materials. They reflect an ancient wisdom that teaches balance—with the land, with time, and with tradition.

Supporting crafts means supporting women-led entrepreneurship, tribal resilience, and slow, meaningful living.

Where to Explore Odisha Crafts?

* Visit the heritage village Raghurajpur near Puri—it feels like an open-air art museum.
* Explore Sadeibareni and Nuagan in Dhenkanal for tribal Dhokra casting.
* Walk through Cuttack’s Balu Bazaar for the delicate art of Tarakasi.

These villages are not just places—they’re living museums of Odisha’s artistry.

Every village I visit, and every artisan I meet, adds another layer to my understanding of Odisha—not just as a state, but as a soul of resilience, rhythm, and ritual.

This is the first chapter in my series on the crafts of Odisha. In the next article, I will explore the GI-tagged crafts of Odisha—what makes them unique, and why they must be protected.

The author is a writer, artist, researcher and wellness coach based in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. With six published books, she is a recipient of Junior Research Fellowship from the Culture Ministry. She’s been active in research for last 15 years in alternative education, child psychology, art, craft and culture. Project coordinator, moderator and curator in several national and international level art workshop, seminar and events.

(DISCLAIMER: This is an opinion piece. The views expressed are the author’s own and have nothing to do with OTV’s charter or views. OTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)