Chhau mask fair at Ayodhya Hills delights tourists
The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Department of the Bengal Government and UNESCO recently joint organised a festival of chhau masks at Charida village of Baghmundi block, located on the Ayodhya Hills. The Tourism Department was also part of the effort.
With the effort of the State Government, the Ayodhya Hills is gradually turning into a tourist hotspot. Both for casual tourists and trekkers, the region is proving to be a big attraction.
Chhau is a traditional masked dance of Purulia district, and one of the big attractions of the art form is the big colourful masks that the dancers wear. This is also a collector’s item, and hence the fair.
A lot of tourists flocked the three-day fair at the hill-top village of Charida, which is famous for the masks, making it a huge success. It was an opportunity for income for the locals and for the tourists, a taste if the diverse culture of Bengal.
Through the interactions at the stalls and at the mask-making workshops, the bond between the local Adivasis, who perform the chhau, and people from other regions of the state was also strengthened.
The dance form has been recognised by UNESCO through its Cultural Hubs project, jointly undertaken with the State Government following encouragement from none other than Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
As a result of these efforts, a lot of researchers are studying the chhau dance and the related cultural traditions. Films and documentaries are being made on the dance and the dancers. Some are also getting opportunities for performing in front of foreign audiences.
