Karthikeya, the warrior son of goddess Durga, in a mock combat against the demons : Chhau dance, the cultural heritage of Purulia District, West Bengal, India.
Chhau dance is a genre of Indian tribal martial dance, and is perhaps the oldest masked dance in the world, having originated in the soldiers barracks (chhauni) of the past when Rarh (part of Bengal and Bihar state of India) was a mighty military nation. It is popular in the Indian states of Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal. There are three subgenres of the dance, based on its places of origin and development - Seraikella Chhau, Mayurbhanj Chhau and Purulia Chhau.
In 2010 the Chhau dance was inscribed in the UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The Chhau dance is mainly performed during spring festival of Chaitra Parva which lasts for thirteen days. The Chhau blends within it forms of both dance and martial practices employing mock combat techniques, stylized gaits of birds and animals and movements based on the chores of village housewives. The dance is performed by male dancers from families of traditional artists, and is performed at night in an open space with traditional and folk music, played on the reed pipes mohuri and shehnai with a variety of drums accompanying the music ensemble including the dhol, dhumsa (a large kettle drum) and kharka or chad-chadi. The themes for these dances include local legends, folklore and episodes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata and other abstract themes like Mahishasura Mardini. The Chhau dance is mainly performed by the Munda, Mahato, Kalindi, Pattnaik, Samal, Daroga, Mohanty, Acharya, Bhol, Kar, Dubey, and Sahoo communities. The musical accompaniment for the dance is provided by people of communities known as Mukhis, Kalindis, Ghadheis and Dhadas who are also involved in the making of the instruments.
Masks are the integral part of Chhau Dance in Purulia and Seraikella where the craft of mask-making is undertaken by communities of traditional painters known as Maharanas, Mohapatras and Sutradhars.
Charida - the village of traditional ‘Chhau mask’ makers.
Charida village is a must see tourist destiny in Purulia district within the state of West Bengal, India, for its traditional artisans of ‘Chhau masks’. Being located in the foothills of Ayodhya it is 5 kilometers from Bagmundih and 29 kilometers from Balarampur. The nearest railway station is Balarampur which is just 16 kilometers from Charida. From Kolkata you can reach Purulia town by train, bus or car and then to Bagmundih or Balrampur from where you can plan your visit to Charida to experience and see the artisans at work.
Chhau is famous for its colorful dress and the mask. Charida is a village of artisans who for generations have been engaged in the making of Chau mask. They are called sutradhars or wood carvers by caste. Surprisingly, these artisans know their Gods and Goddesses and their stories by heart. About 250 artisan families in Charida are involved in this art of mask making. It requires deft hands to create these large masks having powerful expression of the characters, because the facial expressions cannot be shown during the act.
Subject of Chau dance has changed with time. Earlier it used to be mythological stories from the Ramayana but now a days storyline has changed with time in few performances. Certain acrobatic form has been incorporated, performed by an individual, not connected to the storyline, rather for mere entertainment, as I have seen very recently at Gope Garh Eco Park, West Midnapore, West Bengal. I will share these photographs later on.
Karthikeya, the warrior son of goddess Durga, in a mock combat against the demons : Chhau dance, the cultural heritage of Purulia District, West Bengal, India.
Chhau dance is a genre of Indian tribal martial dance, and is perhaps the oldest masked dance in the world, having originated in the soldiers barracks (chhauni) of the past when Rarh (part of Bengal and Bihar state of India) was a mighty military nation. It is popular in the Indian states of Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal. There are three subgenres of the dance, based on its places of origin and development - Seraikella Chhau, Mayurbhanj Chhau and Purulia Chhau.
In 2010 the Chhau dance was inscribed in the UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The Chhau dance is mainly performed during spring festival of Chaitra Parva which lasts for thirteen days. The Chhau blends within it forms of both dance and martial practices employing mock combat techniques, stylized gaits of birds and animals and movements based on the chores of village housewives. The dance is performed by male dancers from families of traditional artists, and is performed at night in an open space with traditional and folk music, played on the reed pipes mohuri and shehnai with a variety of drums accompanying the music ensemble including the dhol, dhumsa (a large kettle drum) and kharka or chad-chadi. The themes for these dances include local legends, folklore and episodes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata and other abstract themes like Mahishasura Mardini. The Chhau dance is mainly performed by the Munda, Mahato, Kalindi, Pattnaik, Samal, Daroga, Mohanty, Acharya, Bhol, Kar, Dubey, and Sahoo communities. The musical accompaniment for the dance is provided by people of communities known as Mukhis, Kalindis, Ghadheis and Dhadas who are also involved in the making of the instruments.
Masks are the integral part of Chhau Dance in Purulia and Seraikella where the craft of mask-making is undertaken by communities of traditional painters known as Maharanas, Mohapatras and Sutradhars.
Charida - the village of traditional ‘Chhau mask’ makers.
Charida village is a must see tourist destiny in Purulia district within the state of West Bengal, India, for its traditional artisans of ‘Chhau masks’. Being located in the foothills of Ayodhya it is 5 kilometers from Bagmundih and 29 kilometers from Balarampur. The nearest railway station is Balarampur which is just 16 kilometers from Charida. From Kolkata you can reach Purulia town by train, bus or car and then to Bagmundih or Balrampur from where you can plan your visit to Charida to experience and see the artisans at work.
Chhau is famous for its colorful dress and the mask. Charida is a village of artisans who for generations have been engaged in the making of Chau mask. They are called sutradhars or wood carvers by caste. Surprisingly, these artisans know their Gods and Goddesses and their stories by heart. About 250 artisan families in Charida are involved in this art of mask making. It requires deft hands to create these large masks having powerful expression of the characters, because the facial expressions cannot be shown during the act.
Subject of Chau dance has changed with time. Earlier it used to be mythological stories from the Ramayana but now a days storyline has changed with time in few performances. Certain acrobatic form has been incorporated, performed by an individual, not connected to the storyline, rather for mere entertainment, as I have seen very recently at Gope Garh Eco Park, West Midnapore, West Bengal. I will share these photographs later on.