Rural Odisha has historically sustained a rich and diverse cultural heritage through oral traditions, community participation, ritual practices, folk songs, storytelling, traditional performances, festivals, crafts, indigenous knowledge and everyday social customs. Much of this cultural knowledge was transmitted from one generation to another through memory, observation, imitation and participation rather than through formal written records. The village community, therefore, functioned as an important cultural institution in which elders, artists, women, ritual specialists, storytellers and community groups played significant roles in preserving and transmitting collective knowledge. However, the rapid expansion of mobile phones, social media, internet connectivity and digital communication has introduced a significant transformation in the ways rural communities create, communicate, preserve and experience culture. Odisha's telecommunications data indicate substantial growth in rural connectivity: rural tele-density increased from 35.2 percent in 2012 to 62.2 percent in 2024, while internet subscribers per 100 population increased from 19.5 in 2016 to 51 in 2024. This article examines the transition from oral to digital cultural transmission in rural Odisha. It argues that digital technology should not be understood merely as a force that replaces traditional culture. Rather, it creates a complex cultural environment in which older oral practices are being recorded, circulated, transformed, commodified and sometimes reinterpreted through digital platforms. Folk songs can now be recorded on smartphones; village festivals can reach audiences beyond the locality; traditional artists can acquire visibility through social media; and younger generations can encounter cultural traditions without being physically present in the village. At the same time, digitisation raises questions concerning authenticity, cultural ownership, commercialisation, generational differences, unequal access and the loss of contextual meaning. The article therefore explores digital culture as both a challenge and an opportunity for the preservation and revitalisation of rural cultural heritage in Odisha.

Dr.Ashis Mohapatra,"From Oral Tradition to Digital Culture: Transformation of Cultural Practices in Rural Odisha" International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Research and Educational Development, V2(5): Page(637-646) September - October 2026. ISSN: 3107-6513. www.ijamred.com. Published by Scientific and Academic Research Publishing.