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Purulia Chhau
- 17 Feb 2024
- 1 min read
Purulia Chhau, a folk dance, was recently performed in Kozhikode, Kerala.
- The Chhau is a semi-classical dance form from Eastern India which has tribal and folk origins. The performances range from acrobatic to martial and also include dances which are structured around religious themes.
- The name Purulia Chau comes from the district of Purulia in Bengal which is a Chhau stronghold. It represents one of the three distinct styles of Chhau dance, the other two being Seraikella Chhau from Jharkhand and Mayurbhanj Chhau from Odisha.
- The costumes vary between the styles, with Purulia and Serakeilla using masks to identify the characters.
- It was inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO in 2010.
Read more: Classical Dances of India
