Chhau dance

Chhau dance(Odia: ), also spelled as Chau or Chhau, is a semi classical Indian dance with martial, tribal and folk origins. , with origins in the eastern Indian states of Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal. It is found in three styles named after the location where they are performed, i.e. the Mayurbhanj Chau of Odisha, the Purulia Chau of Bengal and the Seraikella Chau of Seraikela & Kharsawan District(Historically Odia Princely States) of Jharkhand.

The dance ranges from celebrating martial arts, acrobatics and athletics performed in festive themes of a folk dance, to a structured dance with religious themes found in Shaivism, Shaktism and Vaishnavism. The costumes vary between the styles, with Purulia and Serakeilla using masks to identify the character. The stories enacted by Chhau dancers include those from the Hindu epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, the Puranas and other Indian literature.

The dance is traditionally an all males troupe, regionally celebrated particularly during spring every year, and may be a syncretic dance form that emerged from a fusion of classical Hindu dances and the traditions of ancient regional tribes. The dance is egalitarian and brings together people from diverse socio-economic backgrounds in a festive and religious spirit.

It is believed by some modern scholars that the word Chhau is derived from Sanskrit Chāya (shadow, image or mask). Others link it to the Sanskrit root Chadma (disguise), yet others such as Sitakant Mahapatra suggest it is derived from Chhauni (military camp, armor, stealth) in Odia language.

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