Seraikella Chhau Chandrabhaga by Sudeep Kabi and Pradeep Kabi

Manasa-Art Without Frontiers presented its Omkara Dance Festival & Seminar 2024 curated by Guru Sharon Lowen at the India International Centre, New Delhi May 31-June 1, 2024. The festival highlighted Odissi from Odisha and Delhi and Seraikella Chhau from Jharkhand including disciples of Sharon lowen and those of Padmashri & Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee gurus, Kumkum Mohanty, Ranjana Gauhar and late Gopal Dubey’s Trinetra Chhau Centre.
Seraikella Chhau by 'Trinetra' Chhau Dance Centre, Seraikella, founded by Late Guru Pt. Gopal Dubey, (Padmashree & SNA Awardee)
Seraikella Chhau is one of three genres in contiguous states, traditionally performed during Chaitra Parva. Seraikella Chhau of Jharkhand is performed with masks, as is Purulia Chhau of West Bengal, developed under royal patronage as that of Mayurbhanj, Odisha. In Seraikella, royalty also choreographed and performed alongside dancers of many communities. Seraikella chhau was added to UNESCO’s intangible Heritage of India in 2010 and Chhau has recently been recognized by the ministry of Culture as a classical form of Indian Dance.
Chandrabhaga-
The dance brings to life the episode behind the creation of the great Sun Temple at Konark in Odisha. We see the pathos of the tragic end of the maiden Chandrabhaga and the remorse of the Sun God, Surya who has fallen in love with her but Chandrabhaga plunges to her death in the sea to escape Surya’s unrelenting pursuit. The melody is taken from the Odissi Chhand of Kabi Surya Granthaval and the tala is Teentaal of 16 beats.
Performed by Sudeep Kabi and Pradeep Kabi
Musicians are Sunil Kr. Dubey - Harmonium, Deoraj Dubey - Flute, Binod Pradhan - Dhol, Baburam Sardar - Nagara