Chhau history of Seraikella

Government Chhau Dance Center, Seraikela
And its Activities

Seraikela is a new District Head quarter of Jharkhand state. Of Southern fringe-commands fame in the country and abroad for her unique art, the Chhau Dance.

Seraikela is a small town and sleepy hamlet on the bank of the river Kharkai whose ripples inspire song and the turbulent waves enthuse dance in the hearts of the artists and art lovers of this place.

The Govt. Chhau dance Centre Seraikela was established by the state Govt. in the year 1960/61 for preservation, propagation and development of the celebrated art in all its beauty and fragrance.

The Centre, since its inception has been instrumental in popularizing the Chhau dance all over the national and international art areas. The Centre has participated in a number of reputed national and international cultural events such as festival of India, France, and U.S.S.R, JAPAN and through cultural exchange program in South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, and other European and Asian countries. The Centre participate in so many cultural events seminar, workshop, demonstration /lecture all over the state/U.T. The Centre has successfully trained about 500 students.

Chhau dance so long a male bastion was thrown open to women artists. Now some girls of schools and college are under going training in the Centre. Not only that the out States students. Students from Calcutta, Delhi also joined this Centre and learnt Chhau dance.

Also the programmer students from Ireland, France, New Zealand, Denmark, Japan took training in this Centre.

The Centre has a small auditorium and hostel for students. The scheduled tribe and scheduled caste students of Seraikela – Kharsawan district and other districts have joined the Centre who apart from their Tribal dance are picking up fast the Chhau style. The Centre also been set up the traditional art of mask-making training more than 100 students in and outside who are undergoing regular training at Centre for Chhau dance, music and mask-making.

Every year in the month of April (Chaitra) Basant Utsav (Spring festival) organised by the Centre with the help of district administration this year 2002.The Magha festival organised by the district administration is widely popular all over the country.

The Centre is running under the department of Art culture, sports and youth affairs, Govt. of Jharkhand under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner, Seraikela Kharswan its Ex-officio President and S.D.O. Seraikela as Ex-officio secretary.

All activities of art culture, administration of the Centre manned by the Director to impart training to the aspiring artists assisted by his staffs.

Faculty and Other active persons: -

1. Sri Tapan Pattanaik, Director, Seraikela Chhau Centre.

2. Sri Bijay Kumar Sahu, Anudeshak

3. Sri Shyama Charan Pani, Dhol Badak

4. Sri Kalachand Bhol, Bansuri Badak

5. Sir Biswanath Sahu, Mask Making Teacher

6. Sri Dilip Acharya, Mask Making Teacher

Visiting Faculties

1. Sri Jai Narayan Samal

2. Sri Makradhdhwaj Daroga

3. Sri A. Mohanty

4. Sri B. Khandelwal