| Description |
Chhau is a major dance tradition of eastern India. It enacts episodes from epics Mahabharata, Ramayana, Puranas, traditional folklore,local legends and abstract themes through the idiom of dance and a music ensembles that consists primarily of indigenous drums. It is seen in its distinct styles in Seraikella, Mayurbhanj and Purulia that are neighbouring areas of the states of Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal respectively. Chhau of Seraikella uses masks. Its technique and its repertoire was developed by the erstwhile nobility who were both performers and choreographers. Mayurbhanj Chhau is performed without masks and has a technique similar to Seraikella. The Chhau of Purulia retains the spontaneity of folk art. It is also performed with masks. The population is largely agricultural, though with urbanization and an increasing pressure on land, people have come to depend on other means of livelihood, mainly as unskilled labour in small towns. Predominantly Hindus, their religious beliefs, festivals and rituals have been influenced by the pre-existing tribal customs.
The Chhau Dance in its traditional context is intimately connected to the festivals and rituals of this region. Important among these is the Chaitra Parva held in the month of April. The month of Chaitra in the Hindu calendar celebrates the advent of spring and the beginning of the harvesting season. Thirteen days of dance-like rituals of Jatra Ghat, Mangla Ghat, Kalika Ghat and Brindabani are dedicated to Shiva and Shakti as the source of all cosmic creation.
These culminate in a vibrant festival of dance. Support of the erstwhile rulers made it an important event. In present times, the festival is supported by funding provided by the provincial government. Any paucity in funds is fulfilled by garnering support from local sponsors. All the arrangements for this festival are done by an organizing committee that is constituted by the people themselves and has representation from all sections of the society.
Various communities, according to their occupations were responsible for different aspects of the dance. This division, though blurred with time is still to be seen in activities like instrumentmaking, music, mask and headgear-making. While royal patronage was extended to the Chhau of Seraikella and Mayurbhanj, the Chhau of Purulia was sustained and developed by the people themselves. This whole exercise promoted popular participation and fostered a sense of commitment to the art that is still palpable among the people of these regions.
Chhau traces its origin to indigenous forms of dance and martial practices. Important among these was the Paika tradition. Paikas were soldiers brought up by the native rulers of Orissa. The Parikhand khela (play of the sword and shield) in Seraikella Chhau and the ruk-mar-naach (meaning the dance of attack and defence) in Mayurbhanj Chhau clearly point to these martial moorings. The basic stances of Chowk and Dharan are common and have an inherent strong martial character. Some of the dancers that excelled in these techniques, for example the Parikhars in the Seraikella tradition were invited to perform at social/religious ceremonies.
It is a people’s art as it involves the entire community. Performed by male dancers of families of traditional artists, or those trained under Gurus or Ustads (masters). It traces its origin to indigenous forms of dance and martial practices. Khel (mock combat techniques), chalis and topkas (stylized gaits of birds and animals) and uflis (movements modeled on the daily chores of a village housewife) constitute the fundamental vocabulary of Chhau dance.
It is performed in an open space called akhada or asar and lasts through the night. The dancers perform a repertoire that explores a variety of subjects: local legends, folklore and episodes from the epics Ramayana/ Mahabharata and abstract themes. The vibrant music is characterized by the rhythm of indigenous drums like the dhol, dhumsa and kharka and the melody of the mohuri and shehnai.
Rhythm is vital to the rendering of Chhau. Some of the rhythms of Chhau are from the repertory of drummers playing at births, deaths and other life-cycle ceremonies in households of this region. The composition of the rhythm is so structured that it is independently capable of expressing the emotive content of the dance. |
| Social and cultural significance |
This is a ritual offering for an auspicious begining to the patron deities and creates the proper aesthetic mood for the performance. Chhau is an integral part of the core culture of these communities and contributes greatly towards their identity. This is the reason that despite poor economic conditions it is still being sustained by the people of this region.
The tradition of Chhau dance reflects a composite culture of the contiguous regions of Seraikella, Mayurbhanj and Purulia in eastern India.
Chhau Dance in its practice and performance is a symbolic representation of the lives of the communities within which it was nurtured. Their social customs, religious beliefs, folklore, mythologies, natural environment and even their routine occupations are essayed through its movement, vocabulary, the thematic content of its repertoire, its melodies and rhythms as well as the masks and costumes. It takes from many diverse traditions and needs the collective participation of different sections of the community for both its practice and performance.
Because of its deep connection to the lives of the people of this region Chhau dance is given immense importance in the rituals of Chaitra-Parva a significant festival celebrated in the month of April. Its history and evolution as a performing art is enmeshed with the history and growth of communities in this region. |
| Transmission method |
Chhau is traditionally performed and taught by the male members of the community. The training is by a Guru or an Ustad (teacher) in an open arena called Akhada. Chhau dance is also a family tradition. The legacy of Chhau has been passed down orally from one generation to another and the communities remain the sole custodians of the knowledge of its dance, music, instrument/mask-making, costume design etc.
In present times, increase in industrialization, economic pressures, and the large presence of television entertainment are driving people and communities at large to lead isolated lives, often disconnected from their roots. Collective participation that strenghtens communities is also being diminished. Traditional folklore and its teaching methodologies are in danger of being lost. |
| Community |
The Chhau region is a tribal tract of eastern India and had as its original inhabitants, indigenous tribes like the Santhal, Munda, Ho, Oraon, Gond, Bhuiyan, Bhumij and Kol to name a few. Over a sustained period of time, spanning many centuries people from other parts of the country settled here. This led to an intermingling of the local tribal culture with that of the migratory population.
The communities that now constitute a large part of the present day population are mostly of this mixed descent and are associated with Chhau as Gurus/ Ustads or teachers, performers, musicians, instrument makers, mask-makers and costume/ ornament makers.
These are detailed as under:
I. The dance aspect is mainly practised by the communities known as Mundas, Mahatos, Kalindis, Pattnaiks, Samals, Darogas, Mohantys, Acharyas, Bhols, Kars, Dubeys, and Sahoos.
II. The musical accompaniment is provided to Chhau Dance by people of communities known as Mukhis, Kalindis, Ghadheis, Dhada. They are also involved in the making of the instruments.
III. As masks form an integral part of Chhau Dance in Purulia and Seraikella the craft of maskmaking involves communities of traditional painters known as Maharanas, Mohapatras and Sutradhars. |
| Type of UNESCO List |
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity |
| Incribed year in UNESCO List |
2010 |
