Chho, the masked dance, is performed in Baisakh throughout the Jharkhand cultural belt. The main centre of Chho in West Bengal is the Purulia District. The repertoire of Purulia Chho is largely dependant for its content on the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and some episodes from the Puranas and these stories frequently take on points of emphasis that are specific to concerns of the inhabitants of the region. The most elaborate mask, for example, is that of Shiva in the guise of Kirat, the hunter, and the death of Abhimanju is seen as the all too familiar tragedy of a young person struggling bravely against impossible odds in an unjust society. The dance technique of the style is distinct, highly structured, and vigorous. Each of the heroes, the gods, the aborigines, the demons, the animals, and the birds have their entry stances and gaits. The animals crawl on all fours and the birds are equipped with pairs of wings. Distinctive gaits, whirling motions, and stunning leaps and jumps with the dancer landing on his knees are featured. Other significant movements are the controlled shaking of the shoulder and a particular neck and head movement with the rest of the body frozen into immobility. The masks worn by the dancers are vivid and strong and are tied close to the face. It needs great strength and balance for a dancer to leap and jump with a mask such as Ravana's supplemented by a heavy helmet and ten heads arranged horizontally. Chho masks range from the demonic mask of Kumbhakarna to the placid masks of Rama, Arjun, and Krishna. In Purulia, the Bhumij and the Muras perform Purulia Chho and the Doms are the hereditary accompanying musicians. The musical orchestra is comprised of Sehnai, Dhol, and Dhumsa. The couplets sung as the brief introductory Jhumar constitute the only wocal passages. Chorida is the main centre of making Chho masks and the craftsmen are the Sutradhars. They also make images of village deities and those used for Durga Puja. The masks are made with earth, rags, and paper; wood is used only occasionally. The mask makers also make crowns worn by dancers. Tinsel, costume pearls and ribbons are stuck on a basic frame in different designs for different characters, which have a great dramatic impact in the half light of an open air performance. Purulia troops compete within villages and are supported from household funds and troupes have also performed internationaly to great acclaim.