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There’s a proverb in the Santhali language that goes: ‘When we talk, we sing; when we walk, we dance.’ It suggests how dancing and singing are intrinsic to the Santhal community, which makes up most of West Bengal’s Purulia district. One of the poorest districts of Bengal, Purulia has been ravaged by Maoist insurgency, but even in the worst of times, it has clung steadfastly to its lively tradition of Chhau dance, which, with its vigorous leaps, jumps, and somersaults, is an expression of the bir (bravery) rasa.  
The word ‘Chhau’ probably comes from chhauni (camp), and the art form was arguably invented to keep foot soldiers war-ready. The martial movements and mock fights subsequently took the shape of dance, becoming popular in the Chota Nagpur Plateau region. Apart from Purulia Chhau, there are two other variants, Mayurbhanj and Seraikella Chhau, which are practiced in Odisha and Jharkhand respectively. With stories taken from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Puranas, the dance dramas celebrate the triumph of good over evil. 
A decade or so ago in Purulia, men decked in dazzling costumes and larger than ­life masks would dance to the intoxicating rhythm of dhol, dhamsa, madol, shehnai, and flute at night­long performances during the spring festival of gajan parab, dedicated to Shiva. These days, of course, Chhau festivals are held throughout the year, and dancers are called to perform on national and international stages. And, in another development, women dancers have entered this male domain, with all-women troupes sharply on the rise.