Chhau Dance of Purulia - Documentary - EZCC

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The video is a documentary on the Purulia Chhau of West Bengal. The Chhau is a semi-classical dance form from Eastern India which has tribal and folk origins.The Chhau performances range from acrobatic to martial and also include dances which are structured around religious themes. The district of Purulia is a Chhau stronghold as numerous dance troupes are scattered around the village clusters of Bagmundi, Balarampur, Jhalda 2, Joypur, Kashipur, Arsha and Manbazar. The film includes interviews with culture specialists and Chhau artists. According to one version regarding the origin of Chhau, the dance is believed to have emerged from the joker or jester’s dance a hundred years ago. These jokers would perform with painted faces and branches of trees tied to their heads. The Purulia Chhau is different and distinctive from other Chhau dances as it has been carved out of the dances from different regions of Purulia.

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