
BALASORE: Here is good news for culture and heritage aficionados of the State. After repeated demands and subsequent proposals, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recently inscribed Chhau dance in the representative list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
This dance form has been included in the list along with two other Indian performing art forms - Mudiyettu, a ritual theatre of Kerala and Kalbelia folk songs and dances of Rajasthan.
“After the Sun temple at Konark which has been listed in the world heritage sites list, this dance form finds the coveted place,” said heritage activist Prashant Kumar Padhi. “The list includes performing art forms of outstanding value and are vulnerable due to lack of support. We have been demanding the same for the last one decade,” he added.
Culture lovers believe this inscription would provide better visibility for such intangible heritage and help improve awareness of their significance and offer international assistance to promote and preserve them.
The Chhau dance is one of the ancient dance forms that revolve around the martial exhibitions of the Oriya Paikas or the gallant warriors of Orissa. It is also prevalent in the tribal parts of Jharkhand and West Bengal. The dancers showcase their fighting skills in sync with the rhythm of the accompanying percussion instruments. Chhau dance lays stress on style, form and movement and follows the fundamental principles of Bharat Muni’s Natya Shastra and Nandikeswara’s Abhinaya Darpana.
Thematically, Chhau draws substantially from great epics like the Ramayan, the Mahabharat and also from folk and tribal elements. The music accompanying the dance has its own style, invigorating the soul. The orchestra generally comprises ‘Mohuri’, ‘Chad-Chadi’, ‘Dhol’ and ‘Dhumsa’.
“Another basic feature of Chhau dance is that the form vividly illustrates the religious diaspora. The performers devoutly worship Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, the two deities who play an instrumental role in shaping the ‘Tandava’ and the ‘Lasya’ dance forms,” said a Chhau dancer Durjay Singh.
“Earlier, male dancers dressed as women performed this virile dance. Today, skilled female dancers have perfected the art of the striking convoluted postures with seeming ease. However, lack of patronage and support has discouraged dancers to continue with the dance form. We hope after the inscription, things would be better,” he added.