Chhaudance

Chhauperforming artists

Chhau,also spelledChhou,is a semi classicalIndiandance with martial and folk traditions.It is found in three styles named after the location where they are performed, i.e. thePurulia ChhauofWest Bengal,theSeraikella ChhauofJharkhandand theMayurbhanj ChhauofOdisha.

The dance ranges from celebratingmartial arts,acrobaticsand athletics performed in festive themes of a folk dance, to a structured dance with religious themes found inShaivism,ShaktismandVaishnavism.The costumes vary between the styles, with Purulia and Serakeilla using masks to identify the character.The stories enacted by Chhau dancers include those from the Hindu epics theRamayanaand theMahabharata,thePuranasand otherIndian literature.

The dance is traditionally an all males troupe, regionally celebrated particularly during spring every year, and may be a syncretic dance form that emerged from a fusion of classical Hindu dances and the traditions of ancient regional tribes.The dance brings together people from diverse socio-economic backgrounds in a festive and religious spirit.

Mayurbhanj Chhau artists performing to aVaishnavitetheme atBhubaneswar,Odisha

A video of Chau dance inPurulia,West Bengal

Etymology

Chhau is a dance style originating from the regions ofEast India.It may have been derived fromSanskritChāya(shadow, image or mask).Others link it to the Sanskrit rootChadma(disguise), yet others such asSitakant Mahapatrasuggest it is derived fromChhauni(military camp, armour, stealth) in Odia language.

A Chhau dancer inBagmundi,West Bengal in role of goddess Durga.

Features of Chhau

A Shaktism themed costumes for Chhau dance (Durga with Lion, Purulia style Chhau).

The Chhau dance is mainly performed during festivals in the region ofJharkhand,West BengalandOdisha,especially the spring festival ofChaitraParva and in which the whole community participates.The Purulia Chhau dance is celebrated during the Sun festival.

Artists from the Purulia district of West Bengal perform the Chhau dance

Masks form an integral part of Chhau dance in Purulia and Seraikella styles.The knowledge of dance, music and mask-making is transmitted orally.The Chhau dance found in northern Odisha does not use masks during the dance, but they do when the artists first appear on the stage for introduction to the audience.

The two styles of Chhau dance that use masks, blend within it forms of both dance and martial practices employing mock combat techniques (calledkhel), stylised gaits of birds and animals (calledchalisandtopkas) and movements based on the chores of village housewives (calleduflis).This form of the Chhau dance, states Mohan Khokar, has no ritual or ceremonial meaning, it is a form of community celebration and entertainment.

The dance is performed by male dancers, at night in an open space, calledakhadaorasar.The dance is rhythmic and set to traditional folk music, played on the reed pipesmohuriandshehnai.A variety of drums accompany the music ensemble including thedhol(a cylindrical drum),dhumsa(a large kettle drum) andkharkaorchad-chadi.The themes for these dances include local legends, folklore and episodes from theRamayanaandMahabharataand other abstract themes.

The precursors of Chhau dance (especially Purulia style) were not onlyPaikaand Natua, butNachnidance also played an important role in giving Chhau its present identity. Chhau dance borrows the female gaits and movements from theNachnidance almost exclusively (Bhattacharya, 1983, Chakravarti, 2001, Kishore, 1985). The female dance elements in Chhau introduced the aspects ofLasya Bhavafrom the Natya Shastra that brought elegance, sensuality, and beauty in the dance form, whereas, the virile male dance movement is attributed to the Shiva'standavastyle of dance (Bose 1991).There are different interpretations totandavaandlasya.I have above-mentioned the most commonly accepted definition oftandavaandlasyaabove. Bose foregrounds the debate between the relation oflasyaandtandavacritically in his analysis of dance in Sanskrit texts. See Bose, Mandakranta.

Three styles of Chhau

Ileana Citaristiperforming Mayurbhanj Chhau (Shaivism theme).

TheSeraikella Chhaudeveloped inSeraikela,when it was under the rule of Kalinga'sGajapati Rulethe present day administrative headquarters of theSeraikela Kharsawan districtofJharkhand,thePurulia ChhauinPurulia districtofWest Bengaland theMayurbhanj ChhauinMayurbhanj districtofOdisha.The most prominent difference among the three subgenres is regarding the use of masks. While, the Seraikela and Purulia subgenres of Chhau use masks during the dance, the Mayurbhanj Chhau uses none.

The Seraikella Chhau's technique and repertoire were developed by the erstwhile nobility of this region who were both its performers and choreographers, and in the modern era people from all backgrounds dance it.The Seraikella Chhau is performed with symbolic masks, and the acting establishes the role the actor is playing.The Purulia Chhau uses extensive masks shaped in the form of the character being played; for example, a lion character has a face mask of lion and body costumes too with the actor walking on all fours.These masks are crafted by potters who make clay images of Hindu gods and goddesses and is primarily sourced from thePurulia districtof West Bengal.In the Mayurbhanj Chhau is performed without masks and is technically similar to the Seraikella Chhau.

Recognition

In 2010, the Chhau dance was inscribed in theUNESCO'sRepresentative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

TheGovernment of Odishaestablished the Government Chhau Dance Centre in 1960 in Seraikella and the Mayurbhanj Chhau Nritya Pratisthan atBaripadain 1962. These institutions engage in training involving local gurus, artists, patrons and representatives of Chhau institutions and sponsor performances. The Chaitra Parva festival, significant to the Chhau Dance, is also sponsored by the state government. TheSangeet Natak Akademihas established a National Centre for Chhau Dance atBaripada,Odisha.

In popular culture

TheHindi filmBarfi!has several scenes that features the Purulia Chhau in it.

Chhau mask

Main article:Chhau Mask

Chhau masks and dancer ofWest Bengal

A Chhau dancer in Bagmundi

chhau mask

mask and musical instrument of chhau dance

Durga with Lion, Purulia style Chhau

Purulia Chhau Dance is listed onUNESCO's world heritage list of dances.The main difference between the Purulia Chhau and Mayurbhanj Chhau is in the use of the mask. Purulia Chhau uses masks in dance, but Mayurbhanj Chhau does not have masks thereby adding facial expression with body movements and gestures.Traditionally, the chhau dance is held during mid-march when one agricultural circle ends and a new circle begins.Purulia Chhau dancers wear the earthy and theatrical mask which represent the mythological characters. After making the shape of mask with clay, it is coloured and decorated with Shola and other things.

Chhau MaskofWest Bengalin Indian Stamp, 2017

TheChhau maskofPuruliais registered underGeographical Indications.As the basic difference of Purulia Chhau the mask is unique and traditional.

Chhau masks are being made in a household in Purulia

These chhau masks are made by the artists by theSutradhar community.The making of a mask goes through various stages. 8-10 layers of soft paper, immersed in diluted glue, are pasted one after another on the mould before the mud mould is dusted with fine ash powder. The facial features are made of clay. A special layer of mud and cloth is applied and the mask is then sun-dried. After this, the mould is polished and the second round of sun drying is done before separating the layers of cloth and paper from the mould. After finishing and drilling of holes for the nose and eyes, the mask is coloured and decorated.

Gallery

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  Chhau dance artist-female
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  Chhau dance artist-male
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  Chhau dance artist-male
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  Chhau dance artists
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  Chhau dance artist
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  Chhau dancers in a village of Jharkhand
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  Chhau dancer with demon mask performing at night
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  A chhau dancer performing among the villagers in Jharkhand
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  A Mayurbhanj Chhau music troupe performing

Further reading

• Asutosh Bhattacharya,Chhau dance of Purulia.Pub.Rabindra Bharati University,1972.
• Barba, Eugenio; Nicola Savarese (1991).A dictionary of theatre anthropology: the secret art of the performer.Routledge.ISBN0-415-05308-0.
• Claus, Peter J.; Sarah Diamond; Margaret Ann Mills (2003).South Asian folklore: an encyclopedia.Taylor & Francis.ISBN0-415-93919-4.
• Claus, Peter J.; et al. (2003),South Asian folklore: an encyclopedia,Routledge,ISBN0-415-93919-4
• Kishore, Vikrant (2014). From real to reel: folk dances of India in Bollywood cinema. Adelaide, South Australia UNESCO-APNIEVE AustraliaISBN9780992525958,9780992525996
• Williams, Drid (2004)."In the Shadow of Hollywood Orientalism: Authentic East Indian Dancing"(PDF).Visual Anthropology.17(1). Routledge: 69–98.doi:10.1080/08949460490274013.S2CID29065670.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 4 March 2016.Retrieved2 August2016.

External links

• Chhau dance: Spandan,Shiva themes, Carolina Prada (2013)
• Chau: The Rare Mask Dances
• Purulia district website with information on Chhau
• Mauyrbhanj district website with information on Chhau
• Saraikela Kharsawan district website with information on Chhau