BHARAT BANDH!!!!

“We live in India and are proud to be Indians,” all of us are used to of saying these words since our childhood. But, today I don’t feel so proud of being an Indian. Yesterday(20th sep 2012) there has been a bandh called by the opposition party in the name of hiked diesel prices, reduced number of gas cylinders, FDI in retail and so on. There has been a bandh few months back in May too. But still I am not able to understand this way of showing the protest. Is it the correct way to show our anger? I don’t want to discuss here which party is correct or which party is wrong. But these lonely roads in the city haunt me even in my dreams. 

 I am not someone who gets deeply affected by the bandh or any of the hiked diesel prices, reduced number of gas cylinders or FDI in retail. I am just a common young guy who travels in the bus when required, had to rush to hotel when I feels hungry and no matter whatever the retailer charges, I will pay the price. Then, why am I mourning(शोक)? I am mourning because I think about millions of young kids who woke up early this morning and rushed to their schools but had to return after seeing a big lock on their school gate. I think about that passenger among those thousands of passengers of the trains whose train was stopped by some protestor and he could not reach home on time where his mother was still ill and looking for him before she takes her last breath. I think about millions of laborers who could not go to work because of this bandh and will starve with hunger. I think about millions of shopkeepers who are forced to close their shops by some party.  I think about millions of those auto rickshaw drivers who would still be looking for passengers and so on. And, I feel so sorry because I can’t do anything for any of them. I am writing this article because once somebody told me that pen is mightier than sword(कलम तलवार से अधिक शक्तिशाली है) and I believe if at least one of you understands my reason to write this article, the goal is achieved.

 I don’t say that we should not protest against evils prevailing in the society, we should and we must.  But, I believe that bandh is not the correct way to do it. We can always opt for better ways. Maybe, we should try to protest in front of the Constitution. Maybe we should stop the vehicles of those politicians who are behind these steps and not the poor auto rickshaw-walas. Maybe we should not try to affect our daily meals but of those politicians who fill their belly to its maximum capacity before coming out for a bandh. I think then we would be able to show our protest in a better way and we all could call ourselves- “a proud Indian.”

The traditional Chhou Dance of Jharkhand

It is one of the tribal dances of Jharkhand. This is a dance form that is performed in the tribal areas of Jharkhand as well as some parts of Orissa and Bengal. The Chhou dance is performed in an open space or a ground field, generally at the night time. The dancing area is surrounded by the fire poles called the mashaals, for the sake of lighting in the dark. But in some of the advanced parts of the state, electrical lamps and light have started replacing the fire poles. The dancers have a bath and perform some puja before their performance. This is for maintaining the sacredness of the dance, because the characters in the dance are of those of various Gods. These dancers use colourful, big sized and decorative masks. Chhou dance is one of the tribal forms of the 'nritya natika' that means dance drama. Most of these Chhou dance performances are based on the stories of Ramayana and the Mahabharata. 

                The people of Jharkhand have their unique and specific types of dance and music styles. The most popular dances of Jharkhand include Jhumar, Paika, Chhou, Agni, Santhal, Nachni, Jamda, Ghatwari, Natwa, Choukara, Sohrai, and the Earth Dance, Lurisayro, and Matha. These dance forms are very graceful, rhythmic and attractive, and are heavily accompanied by the drum beats and the songs or music.

Costumes of Chhau Dance

                   Chhau DanceThe costumes of the Chhau performers are of various colours and designs. It mainly comprises of Pyjamas in deep green or yellow or red shade that is worn by the artistes playing the role of gods; whereas those playing the role of demons have on loose trousers of a deep black shade. Sometimes, stripes of contrasting colours are also used to make the costumes more attractive and different. The costumes for the upper part of the body are full of various designs. The costumes for the character of Goddess Kali are made up of cloth of unrelieved black, and to express the separate and distinct identity, the characters of animals and birds use suitable type of masks and costumes.

Performance of Chhau Dance

              Chhau dance is mostly performed in the open space or ground field during the night. The dancers take a bath and do Puja before performing this dance, in order to maintain the sacredness of dance as the characters in the dance are of gods. Generally, fire poles called Mashaal surround the dance arena, for the purpose of light. The masks generally used for Chhau are made up from the clay and paper. In the performance of the Chhau, some of the characteristics of primitive ritualistic dances are noted. This is also seen through its vigour, style and musical accompaniment mainly with the drum.