Chhau artistes perform during a cultural fest. File picture

Jamshedpur, April 9: The much-awaited Chaitra Parva-Chhau Mahotsav at Seraikela begins tonight.

With the chief minister and the deputy chief minister of the state slated to inaugurate the festival at the venue tomorrow, this year’s edition looks all set to be glamorous with the presence of participants from foreign countries making their mark at the cultural event.

Considered to be the single largest Chhau display in eastern India, the mahotsav is a joint venture of the state tourism department, art and culture department, Seraikela-Kharsawan district administration and the government-sponsored Chhau dance centre in Seraikela.

“Not only will we have foreigners in the audience, a few groups from abroad would also put up performances during the event,” said Tapan Kumar Patnaik, the director of the government Chhau dance centre in Seraikela — the main organisers of the event.

Preparations are in full swing for the inauguration of the grand event tomorrow evening, though the festival starts from this night itself.

As a part of Jatra Ghat, women would bring water from nearby villages to wash the entire area of performance today.

Everything is put in order and the place left for the artistes to mesmerise the audience with their skills.

“It is more of a kind of ritual that we follow. The artistes are considered the representatives of the almighty, so a lot of respect is attached to the place where they would put up their shows,” added Patnaik.

Significantly, apart from the traditional forms of Chhau, including Manbhum or Purulia style and Seraikela style of the traditional dance form, the Kharsawan or Mayurbhanj Chhau, the form native to Seraikela, would also be showcased at the venue of the Mahotsav.

This year, Singua Chhau — a form of the traditional dance native to Khunti — would take centrestage.

“We have had performances of artistes from a host of different places across the country, wherever Chhau is practised, but there has not been a show of Singua Chhau until this year,” added Patnaik.

At the mega festival, the organisers are expecting close to 80 teams from the state alone with artistes from Bengal and Orissa who would present their take on the different varieties of the Purulia and Mayurbhanj forms of Chhau.

Mesmerising the audience would be art enthusiasts from Finland, France and Bangladesh.

They would not only present their dances in the festival section, but also compete with Indian counterparts in the competition category.