Gotipua, the Oriya etymon of which literally means ‘Goti’- ‘Single’ & ‘Pua’ - ‘Boy’. As the name indicates this sacred dance is performed only by boys dressed up as girls.

The amazing history of this dance dates up to the time of Sriman Gauranga Mahaprabhu.

Since many centuries as a customary practice in the Chandan Yatra festival of Puri, the Supreme Lord Sri Jagannath would always go out on procession along with His supreme devotee Lord Shiva in between the assembly of demigods.  And at that time, as a tradition, the Devadasis (or Maharis) of the Sri Mandir would also come to dance before Lord Jagannath for His pleasure. When Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (who was Lord Jagannath himself assuming the form of His devotee) saw this, He desired them (the Devadasis) to dance in front of Lord Shiva as well during the entire occasion, but unfortunately the priests objected to it. The priests objected because the Devadasis were females and by nature they could not maintain physical purity, especially since Lord Shiva was among those demigods. Hence Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as an alternative advised the King of Puri to bring in small boys for the purpose who would dance as girls.

That was when, for the first time, the King of Puri ordered his subjects to set up gymnasiums for training Gotipuas (or small boy dancers).

Gotipuas dress up themselves as girls to sing and dance in the rhythm of ancient classical Vaishnava music meant for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord Krishna. The songs depict various stories from the great historical Puranas of India as well as the Rasaleela pastimes of the Lord with the Gopis in Vrindavan.

This dance form historically represents the magnificence of the most glorious Vaishnava culture of India.

It was flourishing strongly during the medieval period and had spread as a part of the rich temple culture of Puri.

It was earlier sponsored by the feudal land lords in the remote rural areas of Orissa, but slowly later after the decline of feudalism, the temples, monasteries, gymnasiums and feudal zamindars could no longer sponsor the tradition anymore. 

The tradition was almost dead during the last century. But now providentially it is once again being revived and is slowly regaining its forgotten vitality for the pleasure and services of the Supreme Lord Sri Jagannath.