Janmejoy Sai Babu with his prime disciple, Colombia-based Caroline Prada, explored the various forms of Mayurbhanj chhau. UK Banerjee learns from both about the different forms of chhau in India
In the back-drop of rocky Similipal Forest with gorgeous waterfalls, winding rivers, high hills and lush green valleys, Mayurbhanj in Odisha unfolds a vast panorama of nature’s beauty. Amid the surroundings evolved a virile dance form — Chhau. The word Chhau was derived from chhauni, the camp at the site of military operations, and it is believed that Chhau was performed to entertain Oriya warriors inside the camp. Unlike the other two prevalent Chhaus — from Purulia in Bengal and Seraikela in Jharkhand — the Mayurbhanj Chhau discards mask. Thematically, Chhau draws from great epics like Ramayana, the Mahabharata and from folk and tribal elements. The grammar of Mayurbhanj Chhau comprises six topkas or chalis (basic steps) and 36 uflis (leaping locomotion). All these chalis and uflis were culled from rural household activities — behaviour of animals and birds — and war-time actions.
Tradition in Transition, recently presented by guru Janmejoy Sai Babu with his prime disciple, Colombia-based Caroline Prada, was a worthy exploration of the finesse and sophistication that this form has attained to date. Caroline opened with a most scintillating Ardha-narishwara (half-man, half-woman form of divinity). Flaunting on two flanks, the make-ups and attires of Shiva and Parvati, she proceeded to create many a duality — the female hue of Champak blossoms and the male white of milk and camphor; the eminine coiffeur and the masculine matted hair; the female body-fragrance of musk-deer and the male physique with strewn ashes from funeral pyres; delicate feminine garlands from hibiscus blooms and male shoulders dotted by bare skulls.
Nataraj was the next piece performed dexterously by Rajesh Sai Babu, the guru’s eldest son, eulogising Shiva Nataraja. A difficult composition, it depicted the lord’s peaceful state of Yogic postures, followed by thetandava (virile) dance of destructive nature and concluded by Shiva’s ecstatic bliss in re-creating the universe. Both Caroline’s and Rajesh’s choreography were pointers to a crystal clear exposition of grammar of the dance-style — coupled with an eloquent body language — that would raise again the old debate as to why this form is not yet recognised as the ninth classical genre. The finale was Caroline’s Nava Durga with Shakti as power and energy: in both dynamic and static forms. The item dwelt upon the nine manifestations of the supreme feminine divinity and did full justice to her body-control.
Excerpts from interaction with guru Janmejoy Sai Babu:
How long have you been choreographing in Mayurbhanj ChhauIJ
It has been some 40 years. Once I arrived in Delhi from Mayurbhanj, I taught Chhau at Natya Ballet Centre and then extensively for seven years at Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra. When I was choreographing ballets at SBKK — including Kamayani and others — it struck me that I should devote my creative efforts to evolve new Chhau items. This is what I’m now engaged at.
Have you added new themes to the repertoireIJ
Chhau is replete with mythological themes. I come from Mayurbhanj where King Santosh Bhanj Deo promoted and preserved some 300 mythological themes in Chhau style. Chhau has a strong potential of social themes since many Chhau challis anduflis are derived from day-to-day rural-family activities like husking paddy, stirring cow-dung waters with bamboo-sticks and upturning the feet. I’ve composed Chhau items around many social themes. These apart, folk and tribal themes also connect well to Chhau.
Does Chhau lend itself to be considered among classical dancesIJ
This is a matter for Sangeet Natak Akademi to ponder upon. They’re already running two well-organised Chhau training centres at Mayurbhanj and Seraikela. Since there are three distinct variants of Chhau, one has to think of them together for recognition purposes. Purulia Chhau has heavy masks with a limited mythological repertoire. Seraikela Chhau, in contrast, uses lighter masks around many more themes, since heavy masks are likely to fall off.
Since Chhau has a strong grammar akin to other classical dances, it can be a strong contender to be recognised as such…
I agree. Apart from our own well-defined challis and uflis, we have very picturesque paltas (spinning in circular motions) which are as vigorous asbhramaris (pirouettes) in the classical forms, if not more. We can also add more classical mudras (hand-gestures) which are not any dance-form’s special preserve. Having already worked in collaboration with Kathak, Odissi and other genres, I personally feel that we’ve more freedom with our own flexible grammar to experiment, and am not inclined to get restricted to a given grammar, which classical dances are prone to.
Foreigners like Caroline attracted to Chhau...
I’ve trained students from at least 12 foreign countries. As far as Caroline is concerned, she has an exceptional understanding of Chhau’s dynamics and can execute positions not given to others.
Extracts from interaction with dancer Caroline Prada:
How did you come into ChhauIJ
I came to India in 2008 as an ICCR scholar to learn Odissi, which I did. But once I saw Mayurbhanj Chhau, I fell in love with it and knew at once that this was going to be my vocation.
How do you vibe to Chhau musicIJ
I find it most exhilarating ever. Its orchestra, generally comprising mohuri (folk-sehnai), chad-chadi (kettle-drum), dhol (drum) and dhumsa (large drum) — accompanied by lilting vocals — generates a rare energy for my dance vocabulary.