shuvarthychowdhury
CHAU DANCE - a different angle
tried to shoot the chau dance at charida from a different angle. First found a temple under construction near the stage performance. after entering into the temple just found all over bamboo supported roof and was too risky to shoot as in the temple no slippers or footwears are not allowed. I was allowed to enter the temple in naked feet and with my camera and a lense (18-55mm). I took some shot from the viewer's angle. I have shot chau dance in many places but it was the unique attempt to me for the first time.
----------------------------------------
© Shuvarthy Chowdhury Photography
LOCATION-- Charida, Purulia, West Bengal- 2015
CHAU MASK - INTRODUCTION
Chau dance an acrobatic martial danc e form of Purulia.It has been already enlisted in the UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Huminity.Chau is indegenous part of Eastern India. It originated as a martial art and contains vigorous movements and leaps. The barren land Purulia with its tribal inhabitants and multilayered influences of vedic literature, Hinduism and Martial Folk-lore have all combined to shape the PURULIA CHAU DANCE which has only one message - The triumph of good over evil.
The Purulia Chau dancers wear large stylized masks while performing chau dance. The Chau Mask is traditionally associated with this age old dance form of Purulia, where the performers wear masks of different mythological characters and also different animals.
The masks are made from paper pulp, mud and clay. First the outline shape on the mud is created. then the ultimate shape of the muddy layer is given with the wooden structure. After drying that under the sun it is covered with the white ash dust layer before the pulp paper layering with the glue. It helps to remain separated after drying of the paper layer under the sun. The Hard paper layer with a thin mud layer on it is painted in attractive shades with the acrylic colours usually brought from the Barabazar area of Kolkata. The masks are of different shapes and sizes starting from small to large one.
At present the Mask Making Industry is not only bounded in the traditional old mask making culture for the chau dance artist. The mask making artist are now being skilled of making various size and shape masks for Ineterior Decoration. Some artist are also making masks with modern painting styles.
THE STARTING OF CHAU MASK VILLAGE
Around 150 years ago during the rule of King Madan Mohan Singh Deo of Bagmundi the tradition of making chau masks started in the CHARIDA village of Purulia. Presently there are around 300 traditional Artists in the village known as "SUTRADHAR" community.
#chau #ChauMask #ChauMukhosh #mask #mukhosh #banglanatakdotcom #UNESCO #ruralart #WestBengal #India #Indianart #art #artist #ruralartist #Bengal #bengalart #bengalartist #homemadeart #Charida #charida-art #Purulia #purulia-art #purulia-artists
#shuvarthychowdhury #shuvarthychowdhuryphotography
CHAU DANCE - a different angle
tried to shoot the chau dance at charida from a different angle. First found a temple under construction near the stage performance. after entering into the temple just found all over bamboo supported roof and was too risky to shoot as in the temple no slippers or footwears are not allowed. I was allowed to enter the temple in naked feet and with my camera and a lense (18-55mm). I took some shot from the viewer's angle. I have shot chau dance in many places but it was the unique attempt to me for the first time.
----------------------------------------
© Shuvarthy Chowdhury Photography
LOCATION-- Charida, Purulia, West Bengal- 2015
CHAU MASK - INTRODUCTION
Chau dance an acrobatic martial danc e form of Purulia.It has been already enlisted in the UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Huminity.Chau is indegenous part of Eastern India. It originated as a martial art and contains vigorous movements and leaps. The barren land Purulia with its tribal inhabitants and multilayered influences of vedic literature, Hinduism and Martial Folk-lore have all combined to shape the PURULIA CHAU DANCE which has only one message - The triumph of good over evil.
The Purulia Chau dancers wear large stylized masks while performing chau dance. The Chau Mask is traditionally associated with this age old dance form of Purulia, where the performers wear masks of different mythological characters and also different animals.
The masks are made from paper pulp, mud and clay. First the outline shape on the mud is created. then the ultimate shape of the muddy layer is given with the wooden structure. After drying that under the sun it is covered with the white ash dust layer before the pulp paper layering with the glue. It helps to remain separated after drying of the paper layer under the sun. The Hard paper layer with a thin mud layer on it is painted in attractive shades with the acrylic colours usually brought from the Barabazar area of Kolkata. The masks are of different shapes and sizes starting from small to large one.
At present the Mask Making Industry is not only bounded in the traditional old mask making culture for the chau dance artist. The mask making artist are now being skilled of making various size and shape masks for Ineterior Decoration. Some artist are also making masks with modern painting styles.
THE STARTING OF CHAU MASK VILLAGE
Around 150 years ago during the rule of King Madan Mohan Singh Deo of Bagmundi the tradition of making chau masks started in the CHARIDA village of Purulia. Presently there are around 300 traditional Artists in the village known as "SUTRADHAR" community.
#chau #ChauMask #ChauMukhosh #mask #mukhosh #banglanatakdotcom #UNESCO #ruralart #WestBengal #India #Indianart #art #artist #ruralartist #Bengal #bengalart #bengalartist #homemadeart #Charida #charida-art #Purulia #purulia-art #purulia-artists
#shuvarthychowdhury #shuvarthychowdhuryphotography