Chhau Dance in Purulia

The Dance of Masks, Myths & Martial Grace – Where the Body Becomes the Language of the Land

In the red-earth heart of Purulia, amid rolling sal forests and misty Ajodhya hills, a rhythm rises every spring – deep, resonant, and powerful. It is the sound of Dhamsa-Maol, calling the people together for a performance older than memory.
This is Chhau, the martial dance of Purulia – a dazzling blend of combat, theatre, mythology, and devotion.
At Bon Polashi Eco Hut & Camp, nestled near Murguma Lake, travellers often hear the beats echoing from nearby villages – the same rhythm that has shaped Purulia’s identity for centuries.

To watch a Chhau performance here is to witness art, strength, and spirituality fuse into a single living breath.

🕉️ The Pan-Indian Chhau Tradition: Origins and Meaning

Chhau is a semi-classical dance tradition from eastern India, practiced across West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha. Its name and form carry a dual heritage – part martial art, part divine theatre.

What makes Chhau extraordinary is its synthesis: it combines ancient tribal movements, classical Natyashastra techniques, and folk storytelling, creating an art form that feels both sacred and fierce.

The term Chhau itself carries multiple interpretations:

• Some trace it to the Sanskrit “Chhaya” (shadow or mask), highlighting the use of masks in the Purulia and Seraikella styles.
• Others link it to “Chhauni” (military camp), underscoring its martial foundation.

In Purulia Chhau, these two meanings converge – the mask and the martial co-exist. Dancers wear heavy, ornate masks while performing explosive acrobatic movements inspired by combat. It’s both ritual and resistance, performance and prayer.

📜 The Land and Its Legacy – 18th Century Purulia

Purulia’s association with Chhau traces back to the 18th century, when local kings and landlords began patronizing village martial performances as part of spring festivities. Over time, these evolved into a highly structured form – Chaitra Parva, the festival of Chhau.

Rooted in the worship of Lord Shiva and Shakti, the dance became both religious and communal. It was – and still is – an egalitarian festival, uniting tribal, rural, and urban people through movement, music, and myth.

Even today, when the drums begin during Chaitra Parva, the villages around Murguma and Balarampur awaken – men gather to rehearse combat steps, mask makers in Charida paint their final strokes, and the red earth prepares to host divine battles once again.

⚔️ Comparative Styles: The Purulia Power

Chhau has three main regional expressions:

• Purulia Chhau (West Bengal)
• Seraikella Chhau (Jharkhand)
• Mayurbhanj Chhau (Odisha)

All share a martial base but differ in mask use, movement, and aesthetics. Purulia’s style, however, is the most dramatic – an explosion of energy, colour, and theatre.

Comparative Stylistic Analysis of the Three Chhau Forms

💪 Kinetic Vocabulary – Where Dance Meets Combat

The Purulia Chhau dancer is not just a performer – he is a warrior, athlete, and storyteller.

Each movement is born from martial practice, especially the ancient sword-and-shield system of parikhanda.

🔥 Martial Intensity and Athleticism

Unlike the fluid grace of classical dance, Chhau demands strength, stamina, and fearlessness. Dancers leap, spin, and roll in explosive sequences that mirror ancient battlefield moves.

Every step – known as khel – is part dance, part mock combat. Chalis (gaits) and topkas (jumping steps) mimic the walks of birds and beasts, while group formations recreate war scenes from epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

🌾 Movement Semantics – Chalis, Topkas, and Uflis

Each motion has meaning. Chalis and topkas evoke animals and gods; uflis imitate everyday village life – a woman grinding grain, a farmer plowing the field – rooting divine drama in local reality.

The mask – heavy and immovable – shapes the very choreography. Since faces cannot express emotion, every feeling is communicated through body language and posture.

Thus, Purulia Chhau thrives on clarity of emotion – anger, heroism, and devotion are carved into the air through action, not words.

🕉️ Tandava and Lasya – Gender in Motion

Though performed exclusively by men, Chhau embodies both Tandava (masculine vigor) and Lasya (feminine grace).

The dancers portraying female deities like Durga or Saraswati must blend strength with elegance, channeling energy into controlled beauty – a stunning testament to fluid gender expression within folk performance.

🎭 Masks of Purulia – The Soul of the Dance

Nowhere else in India is the mask (Mukhosh) as central as it is in Purulia. These masks are more than props – they are the faces of gods and demons, crafted with devotion in Charida, famously known as Mukhosh Gram (Mask Village).

🏡 Charida – The Village That Wears a Thousand Faces

At the foothills of the Ajodhya range, the village of Charida hums with artisans’ hands. Every family here carries the legacy of mask-making – an art passed through generations.

From bamboo frames to clay modeling and paper layering, each step is meticulous. When painted, the masks burst into life – their eyes fierce, their expressions divine.

Visitors to Charida often find entire house walls lined with masks – lions, gods, demons – drying under the Purulia sun.

🎨 Craftsmanship and Materiality

The process involves:

• A clay base modeled by hand.
• Layers of paper pulp for strength.
• Drying and painting in vibrant shades.

These masks represent gods like Shiva, Durga, Ganesha, and demons like Mahishasura, each with a unique colour palette and exaggerated form that captures their cosmic personality.

🌈 Colour and Iconography

Every hue in Chhau carries meaning – colour is language.

Below is the codified system used in Purulia Chhau masks:

Purulia Chhau Mask Colour Symbolism (Iconography)

🏅 GI Recognition

In 2018, the Purulia Chhau Mask received the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag, acknowledging Charida’s heritage and ensuring fair recognition for its artisans.

Today, these masks adorn homes, galleries, and museums across the world – not just as souvenirs, but as symbols of Purulia’s soul.

🌺 Narratives of Gods and Heroes

Purulia Chhau performances are known as palas – dramatic plays drawn from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas. Each depicts divine triumph, cosmic battle, or moral awakening.

Popular palas include:

• Mahisasur Mardini – The slaying of Mahishasura by Goddess Durga.
• Tarakasur Badh – The destruction of the demon Tarakasur.
• Arjun’s Darpachurna – A tale of pride and humility from the Mahabharata.

These stories are not just performed; they are ritual re-enactments of cosmic balance. The stage becomes sacred ground where good conquers evil under the open sky.

🌸 Chaitra Parva – The Festival of Fire and Faith

Every spring, Chaitra Parva transforms Purulia into a living theatre. Villagers gather to honour Lord Shiva and Parvati, and Chhau becomes both entertainment and offering.

From Bamnia to Baghmundi, from Murguma to Charida, the nights glow with torchlight as dancers, masked and majestic, leap across open fields to the thunder of drums.

It’s a sacred spectacle of community, where devotion meets athletic art.

🪘 Music – The Pulse of Chhau

The heartbeat of every performance is its music.

The Dhamsa-Madol create a warlike cadence, while the Mohuri (a reed instrument) adds melody. The music isn’t background – it’s the voice of emotion.

Musicological Elements and Emotional Mapping (Rasa) in Purulia Chhau

🌿 Preservation and the Future

Despite global recognition, Purulia Chhau faces the challenge of sustainability. The Folk Art Centres at Maldi and Bamnia have become crucial for training the next generation of dancers and mask makers.

Veteran Gurus like Anil Mahato, Jagannath Chowdhury, and Biren Kalindi continue to teach young performers the disciplined art of balancing athleticism with devotion.

Meanwhile, Charida’s mask artisans – including women – are being supported through workshops and exhibitions, ensuring that Mukhosh Gram remains alive and creative.

🌄 The Living Heritage of Purulia

To witness Chhau in Purulia is to see art, faith, and endurance merge.

Each dancer’s leap echoes centuries of storytelling; each mask carries generations of memory.

As the Dhamsa rolls through the night and torches illuminate the red hills, the people of Purulia don’t just perform – they embody their gods.

From the martial beats to the sacred steps, Chhau remains a living language of Purulia’s spirit – fierce, beautiful, and eternal.

🌿 Experience Chhau with Bon Polashi Eco Hut & Camp

At Bon Polashi Eco Hut & Camp, guests can experience the real Chhau – not on a stage, but in its birthplace.

Evenings here often feature local troupes performing at dusk – masks glowing in lamplight, drums echoing across the hills, and stories unfolding against the backdrop of Murguma Lake.

To watch it is to feel Purulia’s heartbeat – ancient, rhythmic, and alive.