Orissa Review * April - 2005 The Chhau Dance of Mayurbhanj : Its Growth and Royal Patronage Pradeep Kumar Gan Dr. Sanjeeb Kumar Mohanty The district of Mayurbhanj is famous in the Chhau dance is one of the rarest art forms with cultural history of Orissa, because of its festival an exciting past. Over the decades it is acting Chaitra Parva, which is celebrated as the as a potential medium of communication of our annual Chhau dance festival. Chhau of rich artistic tradition and heritage. It acquired Mayurbhanj is ever magnificent and distinct position in the cultural history of memorable. Mayurbhanj Chhau has been Orissa because of its special features with generally accepted as one of the three traditions regard to Bhangis, Mudras, Music and Rhythm. of the Chhau dance widely distributed in this The Chhau dance of Mayurbhanj has got its part of Eastern India, where three present States own style. There is no written document of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa meet. Like all art regarding the origin as well as, music and forms of India, the origin and growth of Chhau composition of the dance. The technique and dance may be traced to the popular religious style of the dance is composed by the Ustads beliefs and practices prevalent in the area of and the dance continues from the past by the Chhotnagpur Plateau comprising of Purulia and instruction of the teacher who is working in Midnapur districts of West Bengal, Singhbhum, hereditary basis. Dhalbhum, Birbhum, Saraikela and Kharasuan The Bhanja rulers were great patrons of of undivided Bihar and Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, art and culture. Under the patronage of the rulers Nilagiri, Bonai, Talcher and other Garjat areas of Mayurbhanj, Chhau dance was systematically of Orissa. organized and flourished into a better form, and Originally Chhau dance was practised was performed by the artists in a disciplined by the Paikas and has evolved as a cultural manner. Prior to the rule of Maharaja Jadunath performance. The name Chhau is derived from Bhanja (1823-1863) the Chhau dance in the word Chhauni, which means military camp. Mayurbhanj as is understood today, was not A little scrutiny would indicate that this view known. During the reign of Maharaja Jadunath had been arrived at a trifle too hastily, Bhanja the Rama Navami festival was apparently from the similar sound of the two celebrated in the month of Chaitra and Rama words Chhau and Chhauni. Another view is Leela dance was performed during that that the word Chhau is derived from such words festival. After some years Madan Singh Babu as Chhabi (picturesque), Chhai or Chhatak came to Baripada from Dhalbhum and added (clowning) and Chhaya (shadow or mask). The Chhau music in the Rama Leela dance. Thus 46 Orissa Review * April - 2005 the musical instruments of Chhau dance came at the time of dance. It means, during this period into existence. Most probably the Rama Leela the Maharaja was giving importance to the use dance was transformed into Chhau dance of masks. Till about a couple of decades ago, during this period. During this time the Rama this type of halo as well as the masks were Leela dancers were using masks. The Chhau also worn by Chhau dancers of Singla, Kostha, dancers of Mayurbhanj also used masks when Rairangpur, Chitrada and many other villages it began and later on they abandoned masks of Mayurbhanj. Masks went out of use from and gave more emphasis on facial expression. the Baripada Chhau dance about five or six During the reign of Maharaja Krushna decades ago. The performance in Chhau dance Chandra Bhanja Deo (1868-1882) the Chhau was confined to four types, i.e. solo, duet, dance dance became very popular in Mayurbhanj. of four persons, and tila dance. The dance form Ramahari Bebarta Babu, a faithful aid of was developed to some extent during the reign Maharaja Krushna Chandra Bhanja witnessed of Krushna Chandra Bhanja Deo. He laid the the Chhau dance of Saraikela and requested foundation on which his son Maharaja Sriram Maharaja for the development of Chhau dance Chandra Bhanja Deo raised the Chhau edifice of Mayurbhanj. Upendra Biswal, the Ustad of of the State. Chhau was first brought from Saraikela by After the death of Maharaja Krushna Maharaja Krushna Chandra Bhanja and he was Chandra Bhanja Deo in 1882, and during the appointed as the dance teacher of Uttarsahi and minority of Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo, the was given a rent free (Lakharaj) land grant. Chhau dance was performed for two days and After two or three years Banamali Das, another sweets were distributed among both parties Chhau Ustad, also brought from Saraikela, was who danced in the palace during the Chaitra appointed as the dance teacher of Dakshinsahi. Parva only to keep the festival alive. These Lakharaj lands are still being enjoyed Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanj Deo by the successors of the two original Ustads, took over the charge of the administration of Upendra Biswal and Banamali Das, who the State in 1892. During Durbar days the should rightly be reckoned as the original annual performances of Chhau dance was preceptors (Adi Gurus) of the Mayurbhanj presented inside the Palace for three days Chhau. before the Chaitra-Sankranti roughly from 11th During this period Brundaban Chandra April to 13th April. Two prominent parties Bhanja Deo, the then Chhotrai Saheb was in were then competing with one another and the charge of Uttarsahi and the then Routrai Saheb winning party was being awarded a running Gokul Chandra Bhanja Deo was in charge of cup known as Talcher Cup. Maharaja Sriram Dakshinsahi. They both also had assumed the Chandra Bhanja Deo's younger brother responsibility of training and performance, Chhotrai Saheb Shyam Chandra Bhanja, the including personal participation in the Chhau adopted ruler of Nilagiri and Routrai Saheb dance festival. During this stage of growth the Sreedam Chandra Bhanja took charge of the dancers used a type of facial mask known as training and performance of the Uttarsahi and Muhunda and wore a sort of halo(Prabha) Dakshinsahi Chhau dances respectively, with made of bamboo strips strapped to their back an annual grant of Rs.2,000/- for each sahi. 47 Orissa Review * April - 2005 Besides this amount, each brother used to holding swords and spears in their hands. The spend as much as Rs.15,000/- every year for dancers are clad in red or blue dhotis, dressed the training and development of Chhau dance. in turbans along with feather-garlands round These two brothers Shyam Chandra Bhanja and the arms and waists and faces and bodies Sreedam Chandra Bhanja personally painted with ochre or red. About sixty four boys participated in the actual dance performances. participated in this dance. The beautiful They used to supervise the daily food of the performance of the dancers was very much Chhau dancers. The training was going on appreciated by the Emperor George-V and throughout the year. During this period many Queen Mary. Their appreciation was testified new dances were introduced. The following by the condolence letter, which he had sent dance forms were practised by the two sahis, after the death of the Maharaja Sriram Chandra i.e. Uphuli,Basipaiti, Dhana Pachuda, Jhuntia Bhanja Deo. The British Emperor George-V maja, Govara Gala, Bidya Sundara, Tamulia wrote; " The Queen and I are grieved to hear Krishna, Hindustani, etc. of the death of Maharaja of Mayurbhanj. Please It may be noted that the substantial convey to Maharani our sincere condolences classical modes which provide such an with her in her sorrow. We remember of course obvious attraction of the Chhau was the the important part taken by the Maharaja in consequence of a deliberate policy on the part connection with the pageant on the maidan and of the then rulers of Mayurbhanj in associating our pleasure in seeing him on that occasion." Ustads of known talent and calibre like the After the death of Maharaja Sriram venerable late Jadunath Roy and late Chandra Bhanja in 1912 the Chhau dance Narendranath Pal. Among others, these two unfortunately suffered a partial eclipse. During Ustads had handsomely contributed to the the minority of Maharaja Purna Chandra Bhanja choreography and music of the Chhau and had Deo an annual grant of Rs.250/- was sanctioned improved it to the permanent classical flavour. to each sahi for the purpose of keeping up the The Chhau dance was developed and ceremony. During this period the dancers occupied an unique place among the folk dances practised for one or two months before the of Orissa during the royal patronage of Chaitra Parva and during the Chaitra festival Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo. In 1912 it was performed for three days. After the the Maharaja took special care for the accession of Maharaja Purna Chandra Bhanja, reformation and development of the Chhau again the Chhau dance was revived. But due dance. With the help of his brother Routrai to some conflict with the dance teachers the Saheb and his cousin Bada Lal Saheb, he dance was stopped again. innovated a new dance, which was famous as Maharaja Purna Chandra Bhanja Deo 'War Dance'; a lot of money was spent for the died childless in 1928. He was succeeded by creation of this special dance. The dance was his younger brother Maharaja Pratapa Chandra performed for the first time outside Orissa at Bhanja Deo, who took keen interest and Calcutta to welcome the British Emperor effective measures for the revival of the Chhau George-V and Queen Mary in 1912. This dance dance of Mayurbhanj. He sanctioned an annual is basically a mock-fight between two parties grant of Rs.5,000/- to each sahi.