inspirations ...

Grass Routes draws inspiration from the everyday extraordinary people we meet, the enduring natural landscapes we encounter and the thriving traditional cultures that have enriched our lives. Listed below are just some of the wonderful people, places and cultures you’re likely to discover on a Grass Routes journey.

culture - art as life

Grass Routes celebrates ancient, living traditions that miraculously continue to thrive. We seek out the source of a community’s culture to understand its context and value, and share it with our travellers. Art and craft is a traditional form of cultural expression in Orissa. Maintained over centuries, at times unchanged, other times evolving, it forms the fabric of many lives. We meet the people behind the products and discover what it means to paint mythology, drum primal rhythms and weave symbolic stories.

konark Bathed in the rays of the rising sun, the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Konark is a monumental representation of the Sun God (Surya)’s chariot. Just as the sun measures time, the chariots 12 wheels (each 10 feet high) mark the monthly cycle of each year, each wheel has 16 spokes that work as giant sun-dials measuring the hours of daylight in each day and the 7 horses that draw the chariot symbolize the 7 days in a week. Built in the 13th century by King Narasimhadeva of the Ganga dynasty, the Sun temple (also known as the Black Pagoda) is also a salute to procreation and fertility and has a plethora of erotic sculpture adorning its walls.

gotipua (‘goti’ meaning one and ‘pua’ boy) is a traditional dance form performed by pony-tailed boys in female costume.The male dancers bring a rigorous approach to classical dance taking on an almost gymnastic form. Dedicated to temples as young children, these boys maintain daily practise under the guidance and tutelage of a master (guru). Accompanied by harmonium and devotional poetry, Gotipua is performing on special or festival occasions.

patachitra is traditional painting on cloth carried out by a dynasty of painters depicting religious scenes from local legends and Hindu epics. Organic vegetables and minerals are crushed, boiled and filtered to obtain bright natural colours. The cloth is treated before brought to life in the evocative miniature painting style and finished off with a coat of lacquer to protect and preserve it. Despite faded patronage artists and their families proudly maintain their valuable tradition and technique.

dhemsa Among all the tribes the Gaddava are famous for their "dhemsa" dance. Gathering almost every evening the dance is as much a social ritual as it is a celebration. Performed by women interlocked in semi circles and accompanied by men playing musical instruments, the dance lasts long into the night. In addition to their traditional repertoire the Gaddava compose their own songs for different occasions. Often an expression of fancy for another the dance is also a ritual of courtship.

applique In Orissa, specially the village of Pipli, appliqué thrives as a living tradition continuing over centuries. The roots of the craft, as with many handicrafts in Orissa is intertwined with ritual worship of Lord Jaganath, the presiding deity of the Puri temple. The craft is traditionally practised by a specific caste of professional tailors, who in return for their service receive food (no starving artists here). Interestingly the craftsmen are socially well organised and comparable to the craftsmen guilds of medieval Europe.

brass and bell metal Metal craft engages more artisans than any other craft in Orissa. The distinction between brass and bell metal is that the former is an alloy of copper and zinc, the latter copper and tin. The end products, mostly cooking utensils and items used of ritual worship, are produced through beating and casting.

ikat A style of weaving that uses a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye on either the warp or weft before weaving threads to create a pattern or design. Double Ikat is an extremely difficult process whereby both the warp and the weft are tie-dyed before weaving. Ikats are highly regarded as the process is time consuming and requires highly skilled technique.

festivals A fantastic way to experience cultures – and have the time of your life doing so! Full moons, harvest cycles andreligious festivals are all celebrated with gusto. We do our best to schedule our journeys to coincide with fascinating cultural celebrations.

Looking for an excuse to celebrate? Check out our festival of faith journey.