Bhubaneswar: The very mention of Mayurbhanj Chhau conjures up vivid images of artistes wielding swords, spears and shields walking valiantly, locking horns in fierce combat and whirling across the stage to the pulsating traditional beats of ‘Dhol’, ‘Dhumsa’, ‘Kadka’ and ‘Mahuri’. At Rabindra Mandap stage here on Saturday evening, those images sprang to life at the third National Festival of Mayurbhanj Chhau, Naatki–2026, organised by Project Chhauni.
The city’s art lovers who turned up in good numbers remained glued to their seats until the final curtain call.
The festival was graced by several distinguished guests, including Minister for Law, Works and Excise Prithviraj Harichandan; national secretary of Sanskar Bharati and director of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Chhau Centre, Chandankiyari (Bokaro), Dr. Sanjay Choudhury; eminent scholar and practitioner of Mayurbhanj Chhau Padma Shri Dr. Ileana Citaristi; co-convener of the Odisha Chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Anil Dhir and founder and managing trustee of Project Chhauni Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, IAS. Smt Subhashree Mukherjee, executive director of Project Chhauni, was also on the dais.
The dignitaries highlighted the invaluable place of Mayurbhanj Chhau in Odisha’s cultural tapestry and heaped praise on the Project Chhauni for its sustained efforts to preserve, promote and popularise this classical martial dance tradition while while creating meaningful livelihood opportunities for Chhau artistes.
They noted that Project Chhauni’s annual festival ‘Naatki’ has carved out a niche for itself by providing a platform where tradition and innovation go hand in hand.
After an invoking piece ‘Dhumaar’, the evening got off to a flying start with ‘Chakravyuha’, a Mahabharata-inspired gripping production performed by the senior artistes of Project Chhauni. Choreographed by Smt Subhashree Mukherjee and music composed by Agnimitra Behera, the piece narrated the tragic tale of Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu who courageously entered the Kauravas’ impregnable Chakravyuha despite knowing only half its secret. Though he fought valiantly with the army of the Kauravas, he ultimately laid down his life.
This poignant episode was beautifully enacted by the artistes faithfully adhering to the grammar of Mayurbhanj Chhau and showcasing different technicalities like ‘tapaka’, ‘upuli’, ‘upa upuli’ etc. The production was a feast for both trained and untrained eyes.
The spotlight then shifted to ‘Durga’, presented by Carolina Prada from Colombia.
A disciple of Guru Janmejoy Sai Babu and a Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee, Carolina breathed life into her guru’s choreography, showing her remarkable command over the art form. Her portrayal of the nine manifestations of Shakti, ‘Navadurga’ and Goddess Kali, who destroys the demonic forces, struck a chord with the art lovers.
Blending age-old traditions with contemporary imagination, ‘Durga’ celebrated the triumph of divine feminine power while pushing the creative boundaries of Mayurbhanj Chhau without losing sight of its roots.
Keeping the momentum alive, the artistes of Baba Kala Mahadev Chhau Nrutya Pratisthan, Tikhia, Mayurbhanj, presented ‘Mallika Arjuna’, choreographed by Guru Kailash Chandra Mohanta.
With clockwork precision, seamless synchronisation and commanding stage presence, they narrated the story of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati’s search for their missing son Kartik in the Bhil province. It was a sheer delight watching the artistes perform not only enjoying themselves but also transforming the joy to the audience.
The evening’s crowning glory was ‘Konark’, choreographed by Smt Subhashree Mukherjee, assisted by Rinku Sahoo and Lambodar Mohanta and performed by the artistes of Mayurbhanj Chhau Performing Unit of the Project Chhauni.
The production vividly unfolded the saga of King Langula Narasingha Deva commissioning master architect Bishu Maharana to lead 1,200 artisans in constructing the magnificent Sun Temple over twelve years, artisans not being able to fix the Kalasha (the massive crowning stone at the very top of the temple) properly, Bishu Maharana’s 12-year-old son, Dharmapada, fixing the crown stone and jumping into the water to save the lives of the artisans.
The minute details like the artisans hauling gigantic stone blocks and construction materials, chiseling intricate carvings, mounting anxiety in the artisans’ camp and Dharmapada’s defining moment were painted with striking realism.
The production brought the house down, earning thunderous applause.
The festival drew to a fitting close with an engaging production ‘Triyambakam — From Illusion to Union’, a thought-provoking production exploring Lord Shiva’s cosmic powers of creation and destruction.
Conceived and choreographed by Ajay Singh Rathore, the piece delved into the eternal interplay between Maya and Bhakti, portraying how worldly attachments bind the soul while devotion paves the way towards self-realisation and ultimate union with Shiva.
Firmly rooted in the powerful, movement-based vocabulary of Mayurbhanj Chhau, the production also wove together the dynamic long-staff training of paika akhada with contemporary movement and dance theatre, creating a layered physical language, one grounded in tradition yet open to exploration.
Ajay Singh Rathore, Kajal Sharma and Carolina Prada slipped effortlessly into the roles of Jeeva, Bhakti and Maya, delivering nuanced performances that left a lasting impression. Their chemistry on stage and expressive storytelling made the production a feast for the eyes.
The auditorium was filled to the brim and the sustained applause following every performance spoke volume about the audience’s appreciation.
While the evening’s cultural programmes were curated by Smt. Subhashree Mukherjee, Avijit Biswal did excellent light designing for all items. The vote of thanks was proposed by Project Chhauni trustee Bibhudatta Das.
As the curtains came down on another memorable edition of ‘Naatki’, one thing was crystal clear: Mayurbhanj Chhau continues to stand the test of time, and Project Chhauni is playing a pivotal role in ensuring that this priceless legacy is passed on from one generation to the next.
Launched in 2016 by the then Mayurbhanj Collector Rajesh Pravakar Patil with the vision of riving, preserving, promoting and taking the Mayurbhanj Chhau dance to the global stage, ‘Project Chhauni’, under the stewardship its executive director Smt Subhashree Mukherjee, has since been working tirelessly towards keeping this vibrant cultural legacy alive and helping it spread its wings far beyond Odisha.
