Which classical dance form is closely related to the worship of Lord Jagannath?

The correct answer is Odissi. Odissi, the classical dance of Odisha, has its roots in the temple dance traditions of the state, especially in the service of Lord Jagannath at the famous temple in Puri. Lord Jagannath, a form of Krishna (Vishnu), is the presiding deity of Odisha, and his worship has shaped the art, music, literature and culture of the state.

In the past, the temple dancers of the Jagannath temple, called maharis, performed dance as part of the daily rituals of the deity. They danced to the verses of the Gita Govinda, the 12th century Sanskrit poem by Jayadeva about the love of Radha and Krishna, which is closely linked with Jagannath worship. Later, from the 16th century, young boys called gotipuas, dressed as girls, also began to dance in praise of Jagannath and Krishna. In the mid-20th century, Odissi was revived and reconstructed by gurus such as Kelucharan Mohapatra, Pankaj Charan Das, Deba Prasad Das and Mayadhar Raut, drawing on the mahari and gotipua traditions, the temple sculptures of Odisha and old texts such as the Abhinaya Chandrika. The basic posture of Odissi, the chauka, is said to represent Lord Jagannath, while the tribhanga posture, with three bends in the body, is linked with Krishna.

Odissi is known for its graceful, sculptural poses, which resemble the carvings on temples such as the Sun Temple at Konark and the temples of Bhubaneswar. The earliest evidence of dance in Odisha is found in the Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves near Bhubaneswar, dating back to the time of King Kharavela (about the 1st century BCE).

About the other options:

• Kathakali is the dance-drama of Kerala, based on the epics.
• Sattriya of Assam is linked with the sattras and with Sankaradeva.
• Mohiniyattam of Kerala is linked with Vishnu's Mohini form.