Sacred Dance of India

Author(s): Mrinalini Sarabhai
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Page 38

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Chhau Dance --Purulia
Chhau Dance --Seraikela In Seraikella, which now lies in Bihar, the Chhau dancers wear masks and the princes themselves were leading dancers Indeed it was essential for the man of the royal family to be trained in the Chhau technique Because of the masks, the movements of the body are emphasised and the angrka abhinaya is powerfully portrayed
During the Chartra Parva festival, after many days of worship and ritual dedication to the God Shiva, the dancers in procession bear a sacred pot of water to the temple It symbolises the Goddess Shaktı and is called Jatra-ghat From that moment, dancing and music continue in colourful pattern for four days of festivity After the ceremony of the Jatra-ghat or sacred pot, which symbolises the union of Shiva and Shaktı, the Chhau dancers begin their performances
The first is the Brindabani, which involves the story of Hanuman, when he searched for Sita, in Ravana's kingdom and destroyed the garden of pleasure in Lanka
The next evening, episodes from the life of Sri Krishna in Brindayan called the 'Garia Bhar' are enacted, and the following two nights similar ritual dances with significant ceremonies are performed
Some of the loveliest dances are those of the moon-maiden, Chandrabhaga, who is pursued relentlessly by the Sun-God, until she, in desperation, plunges into the sea Legend tells that at the place of Chandrabhaga's tragic death, the Sun-God mourns forever and it is there that the superb temple of Konarak was built
The dance technique, as in other forms, has basic movement called 'upalayas', which are a hundred and eight in number The gatz bhedas which are the gatis of the various images are rich and colourful The utplavenas (jumps), the bhramarı (circling movements) and the padacharka (footwork) are especially exciting when they depict the animals, like the snarling tiger, the gentle deer and the hungry lon, each with its particular tāla and rhythmic formation
Interesting among the solo dances is the ‘Mayura Nritta' imitating the peacock and adding to its beautiful movements the graceful stances of the dance Haunting tunes accompanying the dance and the shehnar and mahuri evoke the deeply emotional quality of the dancer's moods Under the masks, the dancer, through movements of the body, projects the theme in forceful imagery The interpretation is both natural and subtle and modern
themes have been added to the Chhau repertoire THIRTY-FOUR
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