By: Prem Sahoo
Chhau Dance, also spelled as Chau or Chhau, is a semi classical Indian dance with martial, tribal and folk with origins in the eastern Indian states of Odisha. 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.