At a Glance :

Region : Entire Orissa

Performed On : Chitra Month's twenty third day and Visakha's fifteenth day.

Practiced By : Orissa's Scheduled Class People

Goddess : Sakta

Patua Jatra dance form of Orissa state contains similarity with the Pala. This is very much common within the scheduled class People of Orissa. The Patua festival goes on from Chitra month's twenty third day till Vaisakha month's fifteenth day, the low class people celebrated this festival to worship the Mangala or Gauri Goddess. People organize the dance performance to praise the Jahakada's Sarala, Banki's Charchika, Kakatapur's Mangala and Cuttack's Cuttack Chandi, people consider that all these deity are present in the Sakta Goddess. The deities like Saman and Kalisi are involved in epidemic and also the various natural calamities.

For the Pauta Jatra performance, the singers sing the Patua songs through which they try to explain the Mahabharata, Ramayana and Puranas's stories. This is a recent creation of the modern and medieval poets. The very sober and simple songs are known as Pada Bandia. Artha Bandia is another type of song that uses the jugglery words to express the deep meaning of song. Mirdanga instrument is usually used by the players for rhythm. Earlier the performers were not using this musical instrument, from the recent year this was used by Pala. The Patua Jatra dance showcases the oldest and modern both generations in the performance, as per the time change some modern changes have been practiced by the new generation.