The dances of Chilkigarh, a prosperous village 12 k from Jhargram in Midnapore district of West Bengal, are known as Chilkigarh Chho. The local villagers perform the dances in the month of Baishak for twelve consecutive nights after the Gajan festival. These dances are still patronized and organized by the Chilkigarh zamindar family of Dhabaldevs, who inspite of economic stress continue to support and take an active part in the festival. Probably introduced in 1840s in Chilkigarh, the performance is held in front of the Shiva temple in the family estate of the zamindars. The repertoire comprises appearances of 'parvas' interspersed with dances, both with and without masks. Parvas are life-size wooden effigies worn over the bodies of dancers. Apiece of wood placed at appropriate position stands for nasal bridge extending to the waist, which are worshipped in the Shiva temple on the day of the performance. With the wood at the back scooped out to lighten its weight, the parva is tied with ropes to the shoulders of the dancer, who stands in a semispherical covered bamboo frame (a 'kurul'). Most of the 12 parvas have their 'vehicles' tied in front of the kurul. Another man holds the large fan like covered bamboo frame at the back of the deity called Chali. Certain of figures come from the Puranas and Mahabharata: the parvas of Ganesh, Kartick, Shiva, Arjun, Barun, Chaturbhuja, Shiva/ Durga, and others appear in a specific sequence, led by dancers and musicians, with others in the procession burning incense and blowing conch-shells. The masked dances are those of deities, demons, animals, birds and others like Buri (a comic old woman), Ganak Thakur (the Astrologer) and Machi-Pitka. There are 17 masks in a full set, ten of which are traditionally made of wood and the rest of paper, clay and cloth. While dances of Kali, Durga, Mahishasur and others are solo, comic relief is provided by a man's encounter with a bear and the Astrologer and the Buri. Costumes, masks, and Parvas are kept in the green room set up in a well-demarkated green room between the Shiva temple and the audience The musical accompaniment is mainly provided by Dhak, Dhol, and Shenai.