Plastic chairs and string cots are arranged neatly in a semi-circle under a canopy of trees at Beguna Diha, a village on the outskirts of Mayurbhanj in Odisha. You can hear the sound of practising percussionists, as young men and women get ready for a performance. The audience slowly fills the space. As the drums pick up pace, the Mayurbhanj Chhau dancers take centre stage, and their dynamic movements fills the surrounding with energy and verve. They also encourage the audience to learn a few steps. However, replicating their perfection and vigour is a futile attempt.

Dancers during a rehearsal of Mayurbhanj Chhau at Beguna Diha
| Photo Credit:
S Poorvaja

Witnessing these dancers rehearse proves to be a significant part of a trail of sorts, to discover and delve into Chhau — a martial, tribal and folk dance form. In April this year, the Belgadia palace in Mayurbhanj in association with Aadi Naad hosted The Chhau, a three day festival that brought together three distinct styles of this dance — the Mayurbhanj Chhau which originates from the same region, Purulia Chhau from West Bengal, and Seraikela Chhau from Jharkhand. 

There is much that is unique to each style of Chhau, we soon realise. On a balmy evening, a troupe of Purulia Chhau dancers dressed in bright yellow, orange, green and black, with masks and elaborate headgear bring alive the story of Durga and Mahishasura at the grounds of the Belgadia Palace. The dancers effortlessly jump and do somersaults, leaving us in awe of their sharp, nifty movements despite the heavy costumes and masks.

The colourful masks, headgear and bright costumes are characterestic of the Purulia Chhau from West Bengal
| Photo Credit:
S Poorvaja

The etymology of the word Chhau can possibly be traced back to meaning Chhauni or military barracks, where the dance was supposed to have originated from foot soldiers practicing these movements. Watching the dancers depict a fierce battle between Durga and Mahishasura, the martial influences are more than evident in the way they move. 

When we witness the Seraikela Chhau, there is a calmness and grace that we immediately notice about this style. The costumes and masks are colourful, but a lot more muted in comparison, and the story we see is that of dancers depicting Krishna trying to court Radha. The lilting beats of the dhol and softer strains of the shehnai enhance the sringara rasa.

Dancers hold up masks worn during a Seraikela Chhau performance
| Photo Credit:
S Poorvaja

“Most of us are generational artists and we begin learning Chhau when most children are introduced to the alphabet,” says Sanjay Kumar Karmakar, who has been dancing since he was four. He points towards the masks with elegantly drawn eyes and says they are not props. “Each mask is different, and helps capture the emotion that represents the character we play. We might wear a mask, but through our dance, we become the character we are portraying,” he says. 

While our introduction to the Mayurbhanj Chhau is at Beguna Diha when we see dancers rehearse, nothing can quite prepare us for the spectacle we later see on stage. Performed without masks, dancers decked in silks, turbans and with swords in their hands, nimbly move around the stage, as they bring alive the story of Abhimanyu from the Mahabharata. There is courage, valour, the fierceness of a raging battle, and the eventual loss that all comes alive on stage. The intense energy of the athletic dancers never once overshadows the emotions in the story they are depicting; a hushed silence falls over the audience when Abhimanyu dies. 

A Mayurbhanj Chhau performance
| Photo Credit:
S Poorvaja

Subhasree Mukherjee, chief coordinator of Project Chhauni, a local organisation that has been working to preserve and create awareness about Chhau says there are nearly 202 socio-cultural organisations and groups of dancers spread across Mayurbhanj. “We worked on identifying dancers, recording different Chhau dance items, and documenting basic techniques and training,” she says. There is much that has changed over the years; many of the dancers we see across the three styles of Chhau work as farm labourers or daily wage earners to make ends meet. Dancing however, they say, brings them special joy. 

“We have also worked on establishing a fair revenue model where the fees from any performance goes directly to them. We are also keen that they are employable and resourceful, and stress on skill development as well to ensure they are able to support themselves while continuing to practice their art,” Subhasree adds. 

Chhau is an integral part of the Chaitra Parva or the festival marking the month of Chaitra (April) in Odisha. With the number of dancers diminishing with each passing generation and the increasing need for patronage for the dance form, there has been a sustained demand to recognise Chhau as one of the classical art forms of India. In 2010, Chhau was inscribed in UNESCO’s representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. 

“The Mayurbhanj Chhau speaks of the strength and spirit of Mayurbhanj,” says Mrinalika BhanjDeo, who belongs to the erstwhile royal family of Mayurbhanj. “Our vision is to use our ancestral home, the Belgadia palace, as a platform to not only preserve and promote the arts, but also make it an experience through a host of initiatives,” she says. For guests like us, who visit the Belgadia palace, Chhau performances are an important part of the itinerary throughout the year. 

It’s 8 p.m., the sky gets dark and the dancers take the stage for a final performance. As the audience intently watches, you realise that the dance form invokes a strong sense of community and pride in one’s cultural history. It brings people together to nourish it and keep it thriving.

The writer was at The Belgadia Palace, Mayurbhanj on an invitation from RARE India