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"To the beat of Mridang and Drums,
With magnificient masks,they twist,they turn.
Through graceful moves and elegant prance,
They invoke the Lord's cosmic dance."
Duniya Gol Hai is very happy to present the "India For Duniya"(India for the World) series.
Through these articles,we'll introduce you to various art forms, places, traditions and cultures of India that aren't widely known but deserve to be known.There is so much in the vast diversity of India that one can talk about and since I love this beautiful country so much, I with Duniya Gol Hai, will try to bring some awareness about rare art forms and many, local art forms,food,places etc.
As a start, Duniya Gol hai brings to you "Chhau Dance",a genre of tribal martial dance or more simply, a dance-drama from Eastern India.
The word 'Chhau' is traced to the Sanskrit word 'Chhaya' or shade, referring to the masks used by the dancers in some forms of Chhau.Themes are based on mythology, everyday life, aspects of nature or just a mood or emotion.
Chhau dance is primarily a martial dance. The steps and movements, the attack and defence, the performers, some holding a sword and shield ,some depicting war scenes from the Mahabharata etc.It is a type of dance-drama, which takes utmost care in expressing emotions and feelings :anger, fear, laughter, wonder,joy,sorrow, love.
Not all forms of Chhau are presented with masks though. There are three major forms of the dance,each named after its geographical location.
There is "Purulia Chhau" from West Bengal,"Mayurbhanj Chhau" (performed without masks) from Orissa and "Seraikella Chhau" from Bihar (modern day Jharkhand).
Chhau is traditionally performed during the annual Chaitra Parva (Spring) Festival as a prayer for abundant harvest.
Associated with Lord Shiva Chhau is the dance of the warrior & the ascetic,traditionally performed only by men. That's right, even the divinely beautiful love-dance of Radha-Krishna in Seraikella Chhau or the joyful ecstasy of lovebirds in in the rains, are infact performed (ever so gracefully and tenderly) by men! The music is based on Hindustani Ragas.The accompaniment is with a Nagra, a huge kettledrum,Dhol,a cylindrical drum, and Shenais or reed pipes. All performances begin with invocation of Lord Shiva , a customary prelude to each performance.The ragas are a fusion of Desh and Malhar,signifying peace and plenty.
Though the martial art is believed to be the base of the Chhau dance, more than two third of its technique is derived from the gaits and flights of birds and animals, only a few others describe the daily chores of a woman.These signify the early primitive hunting occupation of the native inhabitants and their gradual settled life as they learnt land cultivation.The performances can be classified into three categories; the first consisting of simple and primary dances, second the solo or duet dances depicting birds, animals,night,sea and even human beings of humble origins :like fisherman, boatman, or hunter.Beyond the surface meaning these numbers with their unique choreographic concepts and body kinetics convey the deeper and allegorical meanings which may echo higher philosophy of life. The last category comprises of more dramatic dances which are inspired by Sanskrit classics like 'Meghdoot'-The Cloud Messenger, written by the great poet dramatist Kalidas,or Bengali poems like 'Bandir Swapna'- Captive's Dream, penned by Rabindranath Tagore. The introduction of several characters and their brief but suggestive 'dialogue' have added element of dream into these dances.
Despite sharing the common name of Chhau, each of the Chhau forms differ significantly in terms of their cultural background and the dance characteristics.Broadly, the Chhau of Purulia can be said to be robust and virile , Chhau of Mayurbhanj is earthy and vibrant while Seraikella Chhau tends to be poetic and evocative.
Lets look at each form in more details:
Purulia Chhau: Coming from the region of Purulia and Midnapur of West Bengal,this dance form has developed its own characteristic with its fabulous masks and elaborate costumes.The traditional theme of this dance-drama is the entire ramayana enacted in 28 scenes. However in performances, it is often abridged to selected episodes.Also, scenes from the Mahabharata and Puranas are often included in the repertoire.The performance is marked by forceful abstractions of body kinetics,leaps and acrobatics exuding primeval energy. Mayurbhanj Chhau: This dance form belongs to Mayurbhanj district of Orissa.Out of the three forms of Chhau, this is the only form that does not use masks in the performances.Even so, it relies principlly on body movements, to capture & project emotions and sentiments.The absence of masks infact provides greater freedom of movement.Traditionally, Mayubhanj has never been a solo dance form.Performances are usuallu group items interspersed with short solos. Because of the extremely strenuous nature of the dance, the solo items are relatively short.The themes include hunting,fishing,animal dances like Mayur Nritha and to dances of dieties like Hanumana and Nataraja.It also includes episodes from Hindu mythology and legends. Seraikella Chhau: This form of Chhau developed out of a confluence of folk,classical, ritual and martial traditions of the Seraikella region. Performed with elaborate masks,this dance form is poetic and extremely evocative. Many of dance pieces in this form are based on natural or animal images like peacock,butterfly,ocean etc. Episodes from Mahabharata (see Duryodhana in the pictures) and Ramayana also form part of repertoire. The masks in this dance form are a vital element of the dance and with its distinctive sophistication gives the sensation of rhythmic flow,delicacy and lyricism ,while the head dress accentuates the effect of the mask.
Those who have seen a Chhau performance will know that this dance-drama comprises of rather complex poses that test the vigor, flexibility and the vitality of the dancers.As I wrote earlier,in the earlier days, male dancers who would dress up to disguise themselves as women performed this virile dance. Today however,many skilled female dancers have perfected the art of the striking the convoluted postures with seeming ease.So given an opportunity, or while visiting these eastern regions of India, do try and catch a performance of this vivid dance-drama.It is a memorable experience.
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Also, who are the pics by ? these are the dance masks right ?
Good work. will await next articles in the series