What is chhawa?

Chhau dance, also spelled Chhau or Chawa, is a semi-classical Indian dance with martial and folk traditions. It is mainly found in the eastern Indian states of <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Jharkhand">Jharkhand</a>, <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/West%20Bengal">West Bengal</a> and <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Odisha">Odisha</a>. There are three main styles of Chhau, named after the location where they are performed: the <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Purulia%20Chhau">Purulia Chhau</a> of West Bengal, the <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Saraikela%20Chhau">Saraikela Chhau</a> of Jharkhand, and the <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Mayurbhanj%20Chhau">Mayurbhanj Chhau</a> of Odisha. The dance is closely associated with regional festivals, particularly the spring festival <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Chaitra%20Parva">Chaitra Parva</a>.

Chhau dance incorporates elements of acrobatics and athletics. The Purulia and Saraikela styles of Chhau use masks, which help dancers embody the characters they portray. The Mayurbhanj Chhau does not use masks, allowing facial expressions to be part of the performance. The themes of Chhau dance often draw from epics like the <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Ramayana">Ramayana</a> and the <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Mahabharata">Mahabharata</a>, as well as local folklore. The dance is typically performed by male dancers, often from tribal communities.

Chhau dance was inscribed on the <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/UNESCO">UNESCO</a> Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010.