SERAIKELLA CHHAU DANCE
A GLOBALLY RELEVANT THEATRE IDIOM
The Seraikellachhau has been approved by UNESCO in the year 2010 as intangible Heritage of India.
In a vast country like India with Mind blowing cultural diversity, there are hundreds of traditions of music, dances and theatre forms scattered across the far corners of the land. It is no wonder that many of these forms are not fully known in all parts of the country.
Chhau is a traditional dance drama form prevalent in Eastern India. There are three major forms of Chhau each known by its respective geographical location. These are Seraikella Chhau of Bihar (Now in Jharkhand) Mayurbanj Chhau of Orissa and Purlieu Chhau of West Bengal. Although they are all known as Chhau, their style differs considerably in terms of their culture background and their dance characteristics. The complexity and fascination of this tradition lies in the fact that it represents the folk classical continuum.
It is my great privilege to write this article is only information to the rasika; Seraikella Chhau is first tradition origin at Seraikella latter so on Mayurbanj Chhau and Purlieu Chhau.
According to History Seraikella Chhau was patronized by Royal family and also performer, like great dancer late Shree Rajkumar Suvendra Narayan Singhdeo, Late Brajendra Narayan Singhdeo, later on our guru Padmashree Suddhendra Narayan Singhdeo, and Guru Padmashree Kedarnath Sahoo.
Seraikella Chhau dance previously in 1920 was only Nritya, but due to contribution of Late Kumar Bijay Pratap Singhdeo and Maharaja of Seraikella late Aditya Pratap Singhdeo change of the tradition in various ways and there is classic story music based on Rag, tale also based on chanda.
Now, Present Raja Pratap Aditya Singhdeo has taken responsibility to continue the Chhau Chaitra Festival which was started by late Maharaja Aditya Pratap Singhdeo in Seraikella Palace.
On the one hand it is close to classical dance tradition with it many styles, on the other, it has link with the folk and tribal dances of the regions. Also Chhau is greatly influenced by the martial art and has a strong ritualistic context. The Seraikella Chhau and the Purlieu Chhau wear masks while Mayurbanj Chhau does not. Seraikella Chhau is danced during the annual Chaitra Parva Festival dedicated for Ardhanareshwara as a prayer for abundant harvest. The Performance is proceeding by a series of mandatory rituals. The main dances are often males from the royal family, but others also do perform.
The mask in Seraikella Chhau is a vital element in the dance. The mask indicating a character or thematic idea in a stylized manner achieves a strange quality of abstraction. It liberates the dancer from the limiting influence of the face and places a greater burden on the movement of the body.
Unlike the other two forms of Chhau, Seraikella Chhau is pure dance rather than dance-drama. It does not employ dialogue and rather than a clear story line, it often seems to strive to portray through dance a sensation or feeling. Among the three types of Chhau, it is certainly the most subtle and refined. Chhau has another Asian trait as a performing art. Traditionally, it is performed entirely by men, although this might be considered as behind the times in modern day society, it results in some very interesting stylistic nuances of performances.
The themes of Seraikella Chhau dances range from Indian mythological figures to everyday people and their lives, from aspects of the natural world to abstract expressions of thoughts and feelings. For example, the dance Mayur is the dance of a single peacock, Nabik portrays a couple rowing across a river to express the navigating of the river of life, and the poetic Ratri is a dance of the Moon with the night. Banabiddha shows the dance of the deer shot with an arrow and the famous Chandrabhaga portrays a young woman who commits suicide after having been pursued by the Sun God who has fallen in love with her. Thus, the flavor known in India as Rasa, of a dance, though expressed in the mask itself, comes about through the expression of character and life in the body of the dancer. The movements of Seraikella Chhau is said to have as its origins the movements of the traditional martial art form Parikanda which uses a sword and shield. However, the present Seraikella Chhau movements no longer seem to reflect those origins. Yet, following tradition a student of a dance still practice Parikanda every morning down by the river near Seraikella as a part of his training. Thus the martial movements which were once a part of the dance have disappeared, as the dance has become more refined leaving its influence only in the training.
The music accompaniment is made up of a large Kettledrum called Nagara, a barrel drum called Dhol, and double-reed oboe called Shania, all instruments used in the ritual music of the Chaitra Parva spring festival. The melodic ragas used in classical Indian Music are employed to a degree in the music of Seraikella Chhau along with folk melodies.
If Tata nagar is known due to steel city, Seraikella is known for Chhau Dance. We all artists and people of Seraikella grateful to the Palace that still Chaitra Parva is going on and will continue.
SERAIKELLA CHHAU DANCES;
The joy of the peacock in the rainy season is represented here. The artist’s movement depicting the grace, beauty and vanity of his glorious
CHHAU PERFORMANCE (Technical Rider)
1.Stage size should be 30/25
2.Light --on the side wings – one orange and one blue.
3.In the front: orange, white and blue for front house.
4.Front house: 4 orange, 4 blue and 4 white.
5.One light on the downside centre foot light (orange Color)
6.All orange in one dimmer
7.All blue in one dimmer
8. All white in one dimmer
9. In a foot orange separate dimmer this will used for
10.Pooja, after that we have to switch off the light.
11.Mick for the Musicians five (6)
12.Two Green Room if possible for Costume changing.
13. During the performance water should be served.