Description
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Traditional Description:
Theme: The stories enacted by Chau dancers were mainly sourced from the epics of Ramayan and Mahabharata. Mahishasur Mardini remains an all-time favourite play for Chau dancers. Themes were also sourced from mythological stories like Narasimha Avatar, Sabitri Satyaban, Shivapurana, Hiranyakashipu and Sri Krishna. Every dance performance starts with Ganesh Vandana.
Style: Dancers used to perform following the three styles of Purulia Chau — Barabazar Gharana, Chilkigarh Gharana and Bagmundi Gharana. Earlier Chau was also performed by a solo performer. Various dance movements were involved in the dance including Danab chal (movements of the demons), Deb chal (movements of the Gods) and Pashu chal (movements of different animals).
Mask & Costumes: Chau dancers traditionally wear ornate and elaborate masks and dazzling costumes made of tinsel and brocade. The masks are made of clay and paper mache with ornamentation in the headgear. These masks are made in Charida village of Baghmundi block in Purulia. Charida is now a Rural Craft Hub (RCH). The traditional costumes are dhoti, saree, belts. Props like toy swords and other toy versions of weapons used in wars are also there. All these are sourced locally.
Instrument: The traditional musical instruments include dhol, dhamsa, charchari, tikra and nagra, mahuri, sanai and flute. These folk instruments are sourced from Muturdih and Baghadih in Balarampur and Paradda.
Contemporary Description:
Theme: All traditional themes are still there. In addition, the dance is being used to disseminate social messages on burning social issues like child marriage, Kanyashree Prakalpa, sanitation, pollution control, alcoholism, cleanliness, school enrolment, gender sensitivity, and Yuvashree Prakalpa, among others.
Style: Chau is no more performed by one person. It is presented as a group. Baghmundi Gharana of Chau is very popular. However, the good old days have ended for Barabazar and Chikligarh Gharana. New steps and moves have also come up. To enthral audiences, somersaults and gymnastics are also being incorporated by some groups.
Mask & Costumes: Chau masks have become colourful and lighter. The bead and zari work on the mask and head gear have become finer and more intricate. To cut costs, sometimes cotton masks are also being used. Costumes have become more elaborate and colourful in general.
Instruments: Traditional musical instruments are still in use. Some groups are also using electronic keyboards.
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Village Festival
Chau Jhumur Festival, held at Bamnia, Jaldha II, in Purulia district on Mar 28th, 29th and 30th 2023, from 3 pm to 8 pm to celebrate the traditional and cultural folk art forms of Purulia. This festival is a part of the initiative Rural Craft and Cultural Hubs of West Bengal undertaken by the Department of MSME&T, Govt. of West Bengal and UNESCO to strengthen ICH based craft and performing arts of the state. Chau Jhumur Mela celebrated and showcased two folk traditions of the state—Chau dance and Jhumur songs and dance. Chau is a vibrant, colourful and vigorous form of dance drama representing mythological tales that propagate moral and ethical values. The dancers wear colourful and ornate masks that depict characters from the epic. Chau dance was inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010. Jhumur dance is a folk art form of the Chhotanagpur plateau covering several districts of West Bengal. The art form celebrates life and togetherness. During the festival, visitors explored Purulia’s community-based heritage, interacted with the artists, and got back home with an immersive cultural experience.
International Visit
Chau artists have performed in many international festivals during the earlier RCCH phases. India Summer Days Festival, Germany A five-member Chau team led by Jagannath Chowdhury performed in the India Summer Day Festival in Karlsruhe, Germany on 13th and 14th July 2019 Seattle International Dance Festival, USA 2 young Chau dancers Bappaditya Mahato and Bijay Kishore Mahali attended the Seattle International Dance Festival from June 21 – 25 2017. They were the lead performers of the production "EKONAMA" by Sapphire Creations, an eminent contemporary dance academy of Kolkata, run by reputed dancer and choreographer Sudarshan Chakravorty. They were highly appreciated for their performance During their visit, they also perform at other places in the USA including NABC. International Folklore Festival, France A five-member Chau team led by Jagannath Chowdhury of Purulia represented India at the 10th International Folklore Festival of Noyon in France, held from July 4 - 8 2017. Teams from China, Romania, Chile and South France also attended the festival at Noyon, which is a commune 100 km north of Paris. The performances were held at nearby communes, such as Roye, Rethondes, Berlancourt, Ham and Clairoix. The opening and closing ceremonies were held at the central square of Noyon. Team India performed at the inauguration ceremony on Jul 4 at the Noyon Cathedral. Thereafter they performed at Roye and Rethondes and around 3000 audiences saw the shows. All the performances were highly appreciated by the audience. International Folklore Festival, Lithuania The International Folklore Festival BALTICA is a unique co-project of the three Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Baltica-2017 was held at Vilnius in Lithuania from July 4 – 9, 2017. Festival included stage performances by folk music and dance groups and demonstration of traditional crafts as well as traditional foods. The 9-member Indian delegation included eight-member Chau team led by Biren Kalindi and Manoranjan Mondal, the famous Bamboo craftsperson from Malda. The Chau team performed at the Vilnius Congress Hall at the inauguration ceremony on July 4. They also performed at Vilnius Congress Hall, National Theatre, Bernardino Sodas park and 2 nearby villages. Around 10000 audiences enjoyed their show and interacted with the artists. They said that they have never seen such a gorgeous masked dance. People also purchased Bamboo based diversified products. Local folk bands approached the delegation to collaborate in future in the form of musical and dance residencies. ‘A Tapestry of Sacred Music’, organized by Esplanade – Theatres by the Bay, Singapore A 12 member Chau dance team from Purulia, was invited to perform at ‘A Tapestry of Sacred Music’, organized by Esplanade – Theatres by the Bay, a cultural space located in Singapore’s Marina Bay area.
