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Showing posts from April 15, 2013


Ravan Chhaya – Oral Tradition of Shadow Puppetry in Orissa Based on Ramayana

Ravan Chhaya is struggling puppetry tradition in Orissa based on Ramayana. This oral tradition follows the Vichitra Ramayana version of Valmiki Ramayan by medieval poet Vishwanath Khuntia. Indian Express writes about Ravan Chhaya  The folk form, once seen as a means of livelihood of some indigenous communities, was neglected because of a lack of patronage and insufficient funds. It almost disappeared in the 1940s. Right now, Ravan Chhaya Natya Sansada, a registered cultural group, stands as the lone preserver of the art form, which exists only in an oral format. At the helm of the project is 75-year-old Khageshwar Pradhan, who has been staging Ravan Chhaya for more than 50 years. "We are often told to take up new projects with new stories, but Ravan Chhaya is the tradition and, with the support of Sangeet Natak Academy , we have retained the ancient format," he says. Unique to the Angul district of Orissa, Ravan Chhaya is performed at least 15 times a year in the