Bhaktas

The trance dance connected with the Chaitra Parba, as celebrated in Mayurbhanj of Orissa and in Seraikela of Bihar, is totally different from the trance dances covered earlier. The well known Chhau dances are also performed as another part of the Chaitra Parba. In the lunar calendar Chaitra, corresponding to March/April, is the last month of the year. The last day of the month falls on 13th April. The Indian New Year begins from 14th April. The last 15 days of the month of Chaitra is celebrated as the Chaiira Parba both by the tribal as well as the non-tribal communities. The tribal celebrate it in a different way. The celebration of non-tribal communities has several components,. The performance of Chhau dances on the last two days of the month is one of the components. The way the Bhaktas, a special kind of Shaivite devotees, observe the Parba is another component. The Bhakas belong to the caste of Teli (oilman) which is a lower rung of the caste ladder. Thirteen hereditary members of the Teli caste observe the Parba in quite austere manner for about 15 days. On the first day they perform a ritual to belong to the Shiva gotra (Lineage). From that day they wear sacred threads like the Brahmins till the end of the Parba. They take only one meal a day and perform some rituals daily in the afternoon after taking ritual bath in a river. The rituals of the last four days are extremely arduous. After taking the ritual bath the Bhaktas go to the temple of mother goddess and from there to the place of the ritual. Their leader goes into trance and shakes his head rhythmically to the beat of the drums. Then they roll on tough thorns but their bodies do not show any prick mark of the thorns. This is called Kanta-paat. The next day they do the same rituals but lastly they walk on burning coke. It is called nian-patt. Next day the last ritual is called jhoola-paat in which the Bhaktas, one after another, hang themselves upside down over burning fire. The last day ritual is called udaa-paat. in which the devotees gyrate high above the ground tied to a T-shaped pole. The leader while gyrating releases a pigeon which he would be holding with both hands. This release of the pigeon is the symbol of the release of the soul from the Maya.

There is yet another trance dance connected with the Chaittra Parva. On the 26th Day of the month of Chaitra an earthen pot filled with water is brought out in a procession. The pitcher is called Jatra-ghata. The bearer of ghata (pitcher) goes into a trance and dances to the music provided by Dhols, the barrel-shaped drums, and Mahuris, reeled wind instruments. There is yet another pitcher that the Bhaktas bring at midnight to the arena where chhau dances are being presented. This pitcher is called Nishi (night) or Kamana (desire) ghata. The symbolism of pitcher filled with water has been discussed under the ritual dance named Karagam. Here also the symbolism is the same. When the Bhakfas with the Nishi-ghata come to the Chhau stage, the orchestra plays a particular tune and the Bhaktas dance with simple typical stepping for a while. It is believed that the Nishi ghata sanctities the Chhau stage. Both the ghata and the face of its bearer are painted red with vermilion mixed with oil. In Tantrik rituals while vermilion represents the menstrual blood which is the symbol of the creative energy of the female principle, the sandalwood paste represents semen the symbol of male force that makes the creative energy functional. The creative energy is spread from procreative to artistic creativity. The Nishi ghata painted red with vermilion symbolizes the blessing of the mother goddess for richer artistic activity.