Chhau dance the chhau is a blend of folk, tribal and martial arts. Chhau dance history, terms and techniques, moves, videos, tutorials, facts, glossary, terminology, vocabulary, costume, attire, learn chhau dance. Dance as a theatre art provides an overall view of the history of theatrical dance in europe and america during the last four centuries. The instrumental music is the most important in chhau dance. Dancing developed as a natural expression of united feeling and action. Kedar nath sahoo was an indian classical dancer, known as one of the leading exponents of the seraikella tradition of chhau dance. The dance begins with the invocation to lord ganesha by beating the drums. Dance history explores the intersection of the collective narrative with the human body.
List of books and articles about dance history online. A counterreading of the western approach to chhau dance. History of chhau dance it is usually difficult to gauge the exact origin of things, especially of art. The chhau is a blend of folk, tribal and martial arts. This exuberant dramatic form is primarily performed by male dancers and has been categorized as an indian intangible cultural heritage. The chhau dance drama enters in the category of poor theatre as all the materials, costumes, masks and accessories are made out of small expenses. Prehistory go back ten thousand years and you will find humans toiling away at the many mundane activities required for survival.
The chhau dance originates in the purulia district in west bengal and draws inspiration from martial arts and combative training. Dance history is not only an academic or artistic undertaking. After the invocation song, a host of musicians and drummers start beating the dhol and the dhamsa. The near paucity of written record or incomplete historical account compels us to accept some reconstructed notes that mention.
In the latter part of this book the achievements of leading delhibased dancers are recorded and, at the same time, new talent is readily recognized. Request pdf intangible cultural heritage revitalization for development and tourism. Chhau dance has taken its origin in this part of the eastern india. The musical party or the orchestra consists of two or three big tribal drums. 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. Guruji our father janmejoy sai babu says that arjuna was the first chhau dancer, who learnt the art while watching the celestial apsara urvashi dance in the court of his father.
A person without any particular knowledge on dance can also perform it mathuri koppu andhra pradesh performed by the inhabitants of the umji and indravelli forest areas traditionally performed. The rouf dance is a highly appreciated and acclaimed folk dance form of the muslim community in the beautiful valley of kashmir in india. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. Its vocabulary of movement includes mock combat techniques, stylized gaits of birds and animals and movements modelled on the chores of village housewives. The chhau dance of mayurbhanj government of odisha.
But there is no historical evidence regarding the origin of mayurbhanj chhau. It is found in three styles named after the location where they are performed, i. My grandfather was a performer in the troupe that provided entertainment at the royal palace in the seraikella before the current seraikella chhau dance form was established. Chhau dance intangible heritage culture sector unesco. An interactive arts approachprovides an indepth look at dance from the dawn of time through the 20th century. The most highly evolved artistic chhau dance form is seraikella chhau. Graphic novels give a push to bengals dying folk arts the. Chhau dance exponentchoreographer i gopal prasad dubey had born seraikella, in the state of jharkhand, india. He is followed by epic heroes, other gods and goddesses with multicoloured masks gleaming with tinsel, equipped with extra arms or heads as required made of wood or indigenous materials. Here we are sharing list of indian folk dances of indian states. Tribal and folk dances are the best way to explore the vast cultural landscape of india. It is based on an earlier publication dance history. The drum, however, is an important part of the chhau dance. You can not understand history of dance without understanding how dance is the individuation of collective storytelling.
Folk dances of india iasmania civil services preparation. Then the need was to provide a theoretical basis for dance history as a burgeoning area of academic study, to offer examples of good history writing and to outline various curriculum development strategies. List of selected candidates and their research papers for. This dance form is listed as largest folk dance in guinness book of world. Chhau dance, also spelled as chau or chhaau, is a semi classical indian dance with martial. Chhau dance is a genre of indian tribal martial dance which is wellliked in the indian states of odisha, jharkhand and west bengal. The chhau masks are made with low priced ingredients such as river soil, newspapers, thin pieces of clothe, little bit of lime and paint. Also, chhau is defined by sitakanta mahapatra to be derived from chhauni military camp in odia language. Ecocritics should have some knowledge of history, geography, political science, mathematics. Using an investigative approach, this book presents the who, what, when, where, why, and how of dance history in relation to other arts and to historical, political, and social events. Indian folk dances list pdf download for upsc,ssc cgl,cpo hello friends welcome to.
He acts out a short theme and performs a series of vignettes. Indian folk dances list pdf indian states folk dances. Intangible cultural heritage revitalization for development and. Historically the origins can be traced from the extant sculptures, paintings, literature, inscriptions and foreign accounts of the. The glossary of terms germane to the different styles is a useful adjunct as is the bibliography. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, many rulers of odisha region took interest in the development of this art. It is believed that the word chhau is derived from the sanskrit word chhaya meaning. May 07, 2010 chhau dance is indigenous to eastern india. Currently the fame of mayurbhanj chhau dance has crossed its geographical limitations and has achieved worldwide recognition for its beauty, vigour and marvel of the art citaristi 1993.
Dance with history a fun view of inclusive dance through time. Most of the rhythms of chhau are traditional and are hence, played on mahuri and on various types of drums. Its three distinct styles hail from the regions of seraikella, purulia and mayurbhanj, the first two using masks. Chhau dance is a tradition from eastern india that enacts episodes from epics including the mahabharata and ramayana, local folklore and abstract themes. It is the authors understanding of the essence of the art, its exhilaration and power to break down the distinctions of ordinary life, that makes his book so rich a contribution to the. Dance facts history, interesting tips and types of dance dance is a form of art that is made by purposefully recreating selected sequences of human motion, which can be imbued with the values of aesthetic and symbolism that are acknowledged by both performers and observers from within the particular culture. Jun 19, 2009 ileana citaristi in shiva tandava, an item of mahurbhanji chhau from orissa. Nov 12, 2018 the graphic story on the purulias famous chhau dance is called experiencing chhau dekhe elam chhau while the book on raibenshe, folk martial dance form south bengal is called raibenshe rocks. Source readings, consisting of theoretical essays, librottos, and excerpts from technical manuals, combine with dr. Since then it has evolved into a variety of forms, viz. Its origin is traceable to indigenous forms of dance and martial practices. The chhau dance is a popular form of tribal dance in india that incorporates elements of martial arts into its movements.
The district of mayurbhanj is famous in the cultural history of orissa, because of its festival. Get ready for upsc civil services preliminary exam 2020 with insights insta 75 days revision plan. Rabindra bharati university, 1972 dlc 74902639 ocolc5009357. Chhau dance also spread to west bengal and presentday jharkhand during 18th century. As the dance is heroic the vocal music is insignificant as in others. Written by an acknowledged authority, indias dances is, quite simply, a defmitive volume on some of. Again, not only the dance but also the history of the term chhau is itself a result of an evolution. Predominantly seen in the states of odisha, west bengal and jharkhand, this dance form is a unique spectacle. Chaitra parva, which is celebrated as the annual chhau dance. World history of the dance, written with rare force and insight, communicates a feeling for its subject such as is seldom found in works of historical research.
Chhau dance, also spelled as chau or chhaau, is a semi classical indian dance with martial, tribal and folk traditions, with origins in eastern india. A methodology for study published in 1983 by dance books. In this form of folk dance, the women who are dressed in colorful costumes make two rows and face each other to dance. Chapter 1 historical origins of dance the origins of dance can be traced along two streams since the origins of an art that is dedicated to the gods must have originated from the divinities themselves. This form of dance is a means to portray stories to the audience, which is why elaborate masks and headgear associated with battle and war are worn during the performance. Folk dances of india performed for any societal celebrations in villages, for any harvests of food or any celebrations.
The dancer impersonates a god, animal, bird, hunter, rainbow, night, or flower. Chhau dance perhaps originated from martial dance phari khanda khela. The handy ebook of contemporary dance history is a practical guide of 39 pages, for people who want to have basic knowledge about this topic in an easy way. The mask is an integral part of purulia chhau dance. Purulia district in west bengal in eastern india is home to purulia chhau, one of the three martialartsinspired chhau dance genres that incorporate rhythmic movements with extravagant masks and costumes. Seraikella chhau evolved in the seraikella district of jharkhand, mayurbhanj chau and purulia chhau evolved in the purulia district of west bengal. It has three distinct styles seraikella, mayurbhanj and purulia named masks are an integral part of the dances of seraikella and purulia. The chhau, a unique form of masked dance, is preserved by the royal family of the former state of saraikela in jharkhand. In the final chapter of her book indian folk theatres 2007, julia hollander opens up a new issue of alienation for the urban.
Differences between the three are dependent on their regions of origin. He served as the founder director of the government chhau dance centre chhau nritya kala kendra of the government of jharkhand where he served from 1974 to 1988. It is believed that the word chhau is derived from the sanskrit word chhaya meaning shadow or image. Originally a tribal dance, which originated from the forests of mayurbhanj, odisha in the 18th century, it got the status of a martial art form in the 19th century. Chhau dance is intimately connected to regional festivals, notably the spring festival chaitra parva. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. Jan 27, 2018 chhau dance are you ready for insta 75 days revision plan upsc prelims 2020. The dance is simple footwork which is also called chakri in the local language. Cohens introductions and headnotes to cover every major trend and personality of the period. Originated from the martial dance phari khanda khela playing with the sword and the shield, the chhau dance had been of interest to many rulers of odisha during the 18 th and the 19 th centuries. The origins of dance the earliest history of human dance is a continuing mystery. Chhau is derived from the sanskrit word chaaya, meaning shadow, image or mask. It not only narrates the coming event, but gives expression to the pathos it bears. A part of the unesco intangible cultural heritage in india, the chhau dance is a popular form of tribal dance in india that also integrates elements of martial arts into its movements.
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