Seraikela Chhau Festival
Date: 4th and 5th July, 2025
Time: 5:30 – 7:00 PM
Venue: KCC Amphitheatre, 1st floor
Recommended age: Open to All.
KCC is here with a two-day celebration of Seraikela Chhau – the poetic masked dance tradition of Jharkhand that weaves together martial arts, folk drama, and classical finesse.
Emerging from ritual and regional lore, Seraikela Chhau speaks through sculpted masks, stylised gestures, and the powerful eloquence of silence. Each movement is steeped in mythology, discipline, and meditative grace – a form where the mask reveals rather than conceals.
On 4 July, join us for a lecture-demonstration by Guru Malay Kumar Sahu, an esteemed exponent of the form, as he shares rare insights into the history, training, repertoire, and philosophy behind this refined tradition. With live demonstrations by his troupe, the session offers an immersive look into the symbolic language of the mask and the meditative discipline of Chhau.
On 5 July, witness the full expressive power of the form in a live performance by Guru Sahu and ensemble, presenting both traditional stories and contemporary interpretations. With its controlled physicality and poetic intensity, the performance promises a stirring experience of one of India’s most contemplative dance traditions.
Come and join us to witness the choreography of myth, the rhythm of ritual, and the timeless beauty of masked storytelling.
Register now to engage with a dance tradition where silence speaks and movement mesmerises.
ABOUT THE FACILITATOR
Guru Malay Kumar Sahu is a distinguished exponent and teacher of Seraikela Chhau, the refined masked dance tradition from Jharkhand that blends martial, folk, and classical elements. As Director of the Sri Kedar Art Centre, he has been instrumental in preserving the discipline and aesthetic rigour of the form, with a strong emphasis on its classical roots as outlined in Bharatmuni’s Natyashastra.
Renowned for his deep command over the 108 fundamental movements of Chhau—including chali, spiral pada chakras, and the stylised grammar of masked performance—Guru Sahu upholds a lineage that is both precise and poetic. Under his leadership, Sri Kedar Art Centre stands as a rare institution that maintains the form’s original training structures and ritual integrity.
Currently engaged in a training programme supported by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, he also continues to share his knowledge widely, most recently through a workshop at Anuchintan Art Centre. At KCC, Guru Sahu will guide participants through the symbolic vocabulary, choreographic structures, and philosophical depth that define the Seraikela Chhau tradition. At KCC, he will lead an insightful lecture-demonstration and a full-scale performance, offering audiences a rare opportunity to engage with both the technique and soul of Chhau.
