Chhau dances from the Singhbhum District – previously in Bihar and now in Jharkhand – are performed during the last three days of a 26-day festival in the month of Chaitra concluding on Vaisakhi, which is celebrated on 13th April. Traditionally patronized and performed by the princes of Seraikella, others who have had roles to play in the rituals preceding the dance, as dancers, and as maskmakers have been drawn from the various tribal and caste communities in the area. While there are still dances and other activities held on the palace grounds, a Government supported training program also now functions to sustain the form. The movements used in Seraikella Chhau performances are based on a system of sword and shield excercises known as Parikhanda, practised by the Paika militias formed to first subdue and then integrate the tribal populations. The well developed dance vocabulary generated from these martial beginnings is characterised by 'chalis,' 'topkas,' and 'ufflis.' Chalis preserve a sort of alphabet for dance, indicating both the direction and nature of the paths for movement. Topkas constitute ways of walking that often refer to the movements of animals and birds. The more elaborate ufflis are derived from activities of daily life, such as agricultural tasks and household chores. None of these elements lay stress on the hands, but rather use the whole body. In performance this movement vocablary is adapted to narratives and supplemented by the expressions of the many masks used, the movements of the body imparting added expression to these masks. The masks themselves are strkingly varied and far more concerned with the fleeting expressions of the human face than are most masks in India. Taken together, specific combinations of chalis, topkas, uffis and the distinctive masks used create a clear sense of 'bhangi,' or emotional affect. These bhangis are often more specific than the primary emotional dispays (stayibhava) listed in the Natya Sastra, and include such 'tranistory emotions' as Sneha (affection) Vishada (dejection), Lajja (shyness) etc. The dances are brief, lasting less then ten minutes, and characteristically pick up speed towards the end after a leisurely introduction of the characters. The musical accompaniment retains strong tribal influences and is provided by the dhol, dhumsa, nagara, and the mohuri. While the older repertoire – still danced – focuses on martial scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas, in the 1930s the palace troupe expanded the repertoire to include highly symbolic themes with metaphysical implications. The layering of ths modernist project onto an already well developed dance vocabulary resulted in dances of lyrical beauty, and the palace troupe achieved great successes in a European tour. The aesthetic delicacy of these new pieces was supported by the characteristic refinement of the masks designed explicitly for them by the highly skilled and innovative xxxxxx Mahapatra and later current maskmakers for the most part follow his designs. Made of linen and papier mache, the masks are finished off with a thin layer of the unusually f smooth clay from the nearby Kharkai river and then painted in pastel shades with a fine brush; the stylized eyes, eyebrows, and mouth bring out the distinct traits of each character and achieve a quality of refined abstraction.