Tuesday, 17 April 2012

"Mukhaarh" - Some moments in time


 On the way to School




 






                                                 
                                                 Way back from the Workshop


The tradition of masks in Jharkhand -

Saraikela -"In the year 1620, Kumar Bikram Singh I, the third Maharaja Jagannath Singh, established the Seraikela state, which was merged with Bihar state after independence and ranked as subdivision merged with the boundaries of Kharsawan state. Later on the basis of territories act in 1950, 39 villages of Chandil, Nimdih and Tamar area were included into it." - http://seraikela.nic.in/
After Jharkhand got separated from Bihar, Sarikela became part of the state. The Chou Dance of Saraikela is characteristic and typical. The masks have an unmistakable similarity with masks from Bali/ Java. For long this unique form of Chou has had an active patronage from the Royal Family of Singh Deos. 
I decided to go to Rajkiya Chou Nritya Kala Kendra where they train students not only in dance, but there are separate teachers and departments that train in mask making as well. Unlike masks taken from moulds, these Saraikela masks are directly cast from clay in paper mache and cotton cloth, that is in the end layered with a fine mud paste that gives it a delicate and refined finish. No varnish is applied, after the colouring, that are all natural.
Despite and bumpy rides, I was fortunate to meet one of the descendents of the Singh Deos of Saraikela Royal Family - Lal Bahadur Singh Deo. The palace lies in a derelict state...the traditon of Chou masks and dance lives on....  


A dusty and bumpy ride in an auto to Saraikela was an experience one of its kind

The Saraikela Royal Palace, that lies in a dilapidated condition

The Saraikela Chou Mask


Lal Bahadur Singh Deo, descendent of the Singh Deos of Saraikela

2 comments:

  1. Did you explore / could you find some academic testimony of the Saraikela Chhou masks being ethnologically and not just visually related to the South East Asian masks?

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    Replies
    1. Hi!
      I am sure, there must be a distant connection/ influence between the two. It is a matter of greater study, and unfortunately, in most cases, the documentation is quite poor. I am sure, there must be some references that discusses Saraikela masks and the dance form, but I am not entirely aware of it.
      I do have a recorded interview with the centre's Director, that hints at this very question at one point 'cause I was myself quite struck by the similarity of two.

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