Gati found in Chau of Eastern India

[Full title: Deśī forms of Assam (3): Gati found in Chau of Eastern India]

Chau happens to be the tribal dance form evolved from the martial arts form of North India. Seraikellachau belongs to the Jharkhand, Purulia belongs to West Bengal and Mayurbhanj belongs to Orissa. This is based on the Phari Khanda, style which is also divided into three: Chali–gati, Upheli–basic exercise and Khel–types of play.

Themes such as Ramayana and Mahabhārata are popularly performed in this style of dance. Rasas like vira and rudra, symbolizing power and strength are the basic elements. This style can be performed with or without mask. Even if it is performed with mask, though the expression cannot be seen, the body is instrumented on bringing out the expression of the theme through various bends, stretches, and leaps. So, āṅgika abhinaya is more prominent than mukhaja abhinaya. The cāris are called chalis and the gati is called topka, which refer to the gait of birds and animals.

Seraikelachau has the basic position is called chowk. The exercises are based on pari (shield) and khanda (sword) style, steps along with movements. The second part has exercises are called uflis which are based on routine task of house wife as seen in sweeping, picking up the cow dung and mixing the dung with water.^[1] The slow curves upward and downward unique movements are the special feature of this style.^[2] The animal movements such as horse jump, tiger walk, snake move, deer jump, elephant walk, crane walk, swan walk, are all performed and the cāris are similar to that of the Nāṭyaśāstra.

Puruliachau movements are more masculine and gaits are performed with leaps, swirls, and twists. The gait of female character is graceful. The gaits are based on characters such as gods and demons.^[3] This style uses masks with towering headgears, as a theatrical tool to bring more life to the athletic somersaults, leaps, stamps and iconographic poses that comprise the grammar of the dance.

Mayurbhanj Chau gives more freedom for movement and elaborate personal expression of the characters portrayed. Thus, this style has developed an exquisite utilization of the complete body language and it excels in choreography with body movements. This style doesn’t use the masks but they use props such as sword and shield.

The movements seen in Nāṭyaśāstra are practiced in these forms. Uphelis or Uphlei meaning leaps and motion. Goda thobuka (horse movement), Chheli Denga (jump of a goat), Harni Denga (the jump of a deer). These are similar to the cari movements of Nāṭyaśāstra and Abhinayadarpana.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Indian Theatre–Edited By Farley P.Richmond, Darius L.Swann, Phillip A\. ? Bharatārṇava Zarrilli. p.363.

[2]:

Ibid. p.372.

[3]:

Ibid.p. 374.