Santosh Nair is placing his bets on the young ’uns. From Monday, Nair, a Mumbai-based kathakali and Mayurbhanj chhau dancer, with his student Neha Sharma, will be conducting a five-day workshop for children in the 6 to 12 age-group. The aim is to inculcate an interest in a dying art form: Mayurbhanj chhau. The workshop will be conducted by Nair’s company, Sadhya, in collaboration with the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA). Nair who has made it his mission to revive chhau believes that the workshop’s purpose is to plant a seed of curiosity in the minds of the students.
“Chhau originated in the villages of Odisha, Jharkhand and Bengal. It will remain there and soon disappear if someone does not take the initiative to popularise it,” says Nair. Chhau a genre of Indian tribal martial dance has three subgenres, based on its places of origin and development: Seraikella chhau, Mayurbhanj chhau and Purulia chhau. The first two employ masks in their performance, extensively using the neck for expression. Nair says, “It was thanks to the benevolence of kings like Krishna Chandra Bhanja Deo and Pratap Chandra Bhanja Deo that Mayurbhanj chhau flourished.” To sustain what was originally a tribal-martial art form, the kings financed the recruitment and training of tribals.
The basic stances in Chhau were created only after observing animals. For example, the ghoda dumka (horse-jump) and the baagh dumka (tiger-jump) are among the fundamental movements. Nair says, “Anything that draws inspiration from nature is extremely humbling, and Chhau’s movements stem from elements in nature.” He adds, “Chhau for the same reason can evoke beauty in simple things.” Chhau’s choreographies most often depict stories from the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Chhau has received the attention it deserves from international bodies. In 2010, UNESCO declared the art form as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Nair says, like with all dance forms, a student of chhau will have to be disciplined. “If a student is struck by the passion to pursue it, the physical benefits are innumerable.”
We ask Nair if he believes that this dance form will engage children. He replies with no hesitation, “the Nataki segment is a celebratory end to all recitals and has the feel of a folk dance; it is sure to entertain the children.” Nair is hopeful that the students attending the workshop will enjoy the animal movements that the dance form has to offer.
The Mayurbhanj chhau dance workshop, part of the NCPA’s summer fiesta, will be held from May 9 to 13 at the Sea View Room, NCPA. Call venue for registrations.
The writer is an intern with The Hindu
A Mayurbhanj chhau workshop has the lofty but attainable goal of planting a seed of curiosity in young minds
