Papers by Sharmila Chandra
KALAKALPA
Chhou is an age-old masked dance of Eastern India, practised in Purulia District in West
Bengal,... more Chhou is an age-old masked dance of Eastern India, practised in Purulia District in West
Bengal, Saraikela in Jharkhand and Mayurbhanj in Odisha. It is practised by the tribals
inhabiting the Chotanagpur Plateau such as the Santhal, Munda, Oraon, Bhumij, Mahato,
Kurmi, Kalindi and Sahoo communities. In all the three regions, Chhou performances were
earlier patronised by the feudal chiefs. With the decline of feudalism, royal patronage waned.
Although recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2010, the art
today suffers from degeneration. With the onslaught of globalisation and unethical
consumerism, the advancement of technology and the advent of the media, viewership has
decreased. The Chhou dancers suffer from the lack of performance opportunities. In the
circumstances, different NGOs and social enterprises such as banglanatak dot com have taken
up revival efforts to revitalise this dying art. The present study aims to provide an overview of
Chhou as a masked dance of the Bengal Region and to discuss its current status. The research
is exploratory in nature and qualitative in technique. The paper also provides proposals and
suggestions for the sustenance of Chhou dance among the tribals.
Keywords: Chhou, Masked dance, Tribals, Bengal Regio
STUDIES IN HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES, 2019
Story telling in India has been an age-old tradition. Storytelling through the medium of visual a... more Story telling in India has been an age-old tradition. Storytelling through the medium of visual art, masks and puppets has been a common practice in the Indian subcontinent since time immemorial. In ancient India, in the absence of written texts, information and knowledge were transmitted orally from one generation to the next through the practice of storytelling. With the progress of civilisation, written material came in. Texts such as the Panchatantra, Hitopodesh and Kathasaritsagar formed valuable sources of storytelling. This paper emphasises that most of the myths and legends narrated in the Indian subcontinent have found their origins in the Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Puranas. Tales, whether historical or mythological, were told in different regions of the country through the medium of visual art and performing art which today form part of the cultural heritage of India, although some of them are on the verge of extinction.
STUDIES IN HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES, 2019
Story telling in India has been an age-old tradition. Storytelling
through the medium of visual ... more Story telling in India has been an age-old tradition. Storytelling
through the medium of visual art, masks and puppets has been a
common practice in the Indian subcontinent since time immemorial.
In ancient India, in the absence of written texts, information and
knowledge were transmitted orally from one generation to the next
through the practice of storytelling. With the progress of civilisation,
written material came in. Texts such as the Panchatantra, Hitopodesh
and Kathasaritsagar formed valuable sources of storytelling. This
paper emphasises that most of the myths and legends narrated in
the Indian subcontinent have found their origins in the Ramayana,
Mahabharata and the Puranas. Tales, whether historical or
mythological, were told in different regions of the country through
the medium of visual art and performing art which today form part
of the cultural heritage of India, although some of them are on the
verge of extinction.
Keywords: Storytelling, bards, visual art, performing art
Samode is a rural tourism destination near Jaipur in Rajasthan
Kalakalpa, 2022
Of all the three genres of chhou dance, Purulia Chhou perhaps has the most interest... more Of all the three genres of chhou dance, Purulia Chhou perhaps has the most interesting history. The evolution of Purulia Chhou over the ages has been documented in this paper.
Kalakalpa, 2022
Chhou is an indigenous dance of the Chhotanagpur Plateau region of Eastern India. Am... more Chhou is an indigenous dance of the Chhotanagpur Plateau region of Eastern India. Among the three genres of chhou, Purulia Chhou is perhaps the most attractive because of its masks and costumes. In this paper, the evolution of Purulia Chhou over centuries has been dicussed in detail.
The Story of Purulia Chhou : Innovation in Themes and Contemporary Changes - A Temporal Phenomenon, 2023
Chhou dance is indigenous to the eastern region of India. Of the three chhou genres... more Chhou dance is indigenous to the eastern region of India. Of the three chhou genres, Purulia Chhou is perhaps the most vigorous form and involves a lot of acrobatics. It is particularly attractive for its masks and costumes. This paper discusses the evolution of Purulia Chhou as an intangible cultural heritage of India and emphasises on the changes that have taken place in this performing art over the years.
As part of the Endogenous Tourism Project (ETP) undertaken by the Government of India in collabor... more As part of the Endogenous Tourism Project (ETP) undertaken by the Government of India in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the entire Pipili Block in the Puri District of Odisha has been brought under the Rural Tourism Scheme under the Tenth Five Year Plan. Pipili is a craft hub in Odisha. The primary tourism product in Pipili is its huge repository of appliqué handicrafts, the authenticity of which has attracted tourists from far and wide. However, there are other attractions in Pipili Village as well as in the town that easily draw visitors to this destination. In this paper, the possibilities of growth of Pipili as a rural tourist destination in the near future have been envisaged. Particular emphasis has been laid on the cultural geography of the area. Both primary and secondary sources of information have been used in preparing the article. Primary survey involved intensive field work on the part of the author. The results show that there is im...
India is a country richly endowed with mineral deposits. In India, the mining sector is a core in... more India is a country richly endowed with mineral deposits. In India, the mining sector is a core industrial sector and is crucial for the economic growth of the country. Since almost all the mineral rich districts lie in the backward areas and are inhabited by tribals, tribal labour constitutes a large proportion of the workforce involved in the mining sector. Tribals are mostly illiterate and are easily exploited. This paper provides an insight into the abysmal working conditions in the mines of India. Accidents, inundations and prolonged exposure to mine dust form regular features in the daily life of the miners. Even women and children are not spared, although they are seldom involved in mining directly. The net result is a fall in the life-span of the miners and their family members. The fatal diseases such as anthracosis, silicosis, asbestosis, berylliosis and siderosis, frequently suffered by the mine workers as a consequence of these working conditions and their magnitude have ...
International Journal of Gender Studies in Developing Societies, 2018
The question of women empowerment is undoubtedly a critical issue, particularly in developing cou... more The question of women empowerment is undoubtedly a critical issue, particularly in developing countries like India where women are regarded as inferior citizens, dominated by the menfolk. Choice of opportunity to work is a major dimension of human development. The objective of this paper is to ascertain the socioeconomic position of women in the patua (folk-painter) community of West Medinipur District in West Bengal. The study is based on Naya, a newly emerging patua village. Both primary and secondary sources of information form the database. The research has revealed that in the last two decades, in Naya, training sessions have led to the emergence of young women as talented women patuas, who are not only earning a decent income in their own right, but are also helping to support their own families. In the near future, they promise to become entirely self-reliant, thus perpetuating a revolutionary change in the underdeveloped society of rural India.
Gitanjali & Beyond, 2018
Santiniketan, Tagore’s ‘Abode of Peace’ is located in the western part of the state of West Benga... more Santiniketan, Tagore’s ‘Abode of Peace’ is located in the western part of the state of West Bengal in India. The place is the site of Visva Bharati, a world renowned residential university as well as a Brahmacharya Asram (hermitage where a vow has been taken by the residents) established by Rabindranath Tagore himself. Santiniketan, in the Birbhum District of West Bengal and its environs provide ample scope for the development of ecotourism. It is a place where ecotourism and rural tourism go hand in hand. The place has an idyllic setting. Around Santiniketan, there exist a number of tribal villages inhabited by the Santhal tribe. Ecotourism combines nature tourism, wilderness tourism and agri-tourism. This form of niche tourism is essentially rural in character. It is a type of Special Interest Tourism that has emerged recently and has evoked concern among social scientists. Of late, ecotourism has become popular in the tribal villages around Santiniketan. A unique natural landscap...
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Papers by Sharmila Chandra
Bengal, Saraikela in Jharkhand and Mayurbhanj in Odisha. It is practised by the tribals
inhabiting the Chotanagpur Plateau such as the Santhal, Munda, Oraon, Bhumij, Mahato,
Kurmi, Kalindi and Sahoo communities. In all the three regions, Chhou performances were
earlier patronised by the feudal chiefs. With the decline of feudalism, royal patronage waned.
Although recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2010, the art
today suffers from degeneration. With the onslaught of globalisation and unethical
consumerism, the advancement of technology and the advent of the media, viewership has
decreased. The Chhou dancers suffer from the lack of performance opportunities. In the
circumstances, different NGOs and social enterprises such as banglanatak dot com have taken
up revival efforts to revitalise this dying art. The present study aims to provide an overview of
Chhou as a masked dance of the Bengal Region and to discuss its current status. The research
is exploratory in nature and qualitative in technique. The paper also provides proposals and
suggestions for the sustenance of Chhou dance among the tribals.
Keywords: Chhou, Masked dance, Tribals, Bengal Regio
through the medium of visual art, masks and puppets has been a
common practice in the Indian subcontinent since time immemorial.
In ancient India, in the absence of written texts, information and
knowledge were transmitted orally from one generation to the next
through the practice of storytelling. With the progress of civilisation,
written material came in. Texts such as the Panchatantra, Hitopodesh
and Kathasaritsagar formed valuable sources of storytelling. This
paper emphasises that most of the myths and legends narrated in
the Indian subcontinent have found their origins in the Ramayana,
Mahabharata and the Puranas. Tales, whether historical or
mythological, were told in different regions of the country through
the medium of visual art and performing art which today form part
of the cultural heritage of India, although some of them are on the
verge of extinction.
Keywords: Storytelling, bards, visual art, performing art
Bengal, Saraikela in Jharkhand and Mayurbhanj in Odisha. It is practised by the tribals
inhabiting the Chotanagpur Plateau such as the Santhal, Munda, Oraon, Bhumij, Mahato,
Kurmi, Kalindi and Sahoo communities. In all the three regions, Chhou performances were
earlier patronised by the feudal chiefs. With the decline of feudalism, royal patronage waned.
Although recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2010, the art
today suffers from degeneration. With the onslaught of globalisation and unethical
consumerism, the advancement of technology and the advent of the media, viewership has
decreased. The Chhou dancers suffer from the lack of performance opportunities. In the
circumstances, different NGOs and social enterprises such as banglanatak dot com have taken
up revival efforts to revitalise this dying art. The present study aims to provide an overview of
Chhou as a masked dance of the Bengal Region and to discuss its current status. The research
is exploratory in nature and qualitative in technique. The paper also provides proposals and
suggestions for the sustenance of Chhou dance among the tribals.
Keywords: Chhou, Masked dance, Tribals, Bengal Regio
through the medium of visual art, masks and puppets has been a
common practice in the Indian subcontinent since time immemorial.
In ancient India, in the absence of written texts, information and
knowledge were transmitted orally from one generation to the next
through the practice of storytelling. With the progress of civilisation,
written material came in. Texts such as the Panchatantra, Hitopodesh
and Kathasaritsagar formed valuable sources of storytelling. This
paper emphasises that most of the myths and legends narrated in
the Indian subcontinent have found their origins in the Ramayana,
Mahabharata and the Puranas. Tales, whether historical or
mythological, were told in different regions of the country through
the medium of visual art and performing art which today form part
of the cultural heritage of India, although some of them are on the
verge of extinction.
Keywords: Storytelling, bards, visual art, performing art