The Sangeet Natak Akademi, in order to fulfill its commitment towards the promotion, propagation and preservation of the performing arts of India, inaugurated its ‘Chhau Kendra’ at Chandankiyari, Dist. Bokaro, Jharkhand on 8 October 2018 with the support of the Department of Tourism, Art, Culture, Sports & Youth Affairs, Government of Jharkhand in the gracious presence of Shri Amar Singh Bauri, Hon’ble Minister of Revenue & Land Reforms, Arts, Culture, Sports & Youth Affairs, Government of Jharkhand & Shri Shekhar Sen, Hon’ble Chairman, Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi followed by the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Sangeet Natak Akademi & Department of Tourism, Art, Culture, Sports & Youth Affairs, Government of Jharkhand. The inauguration ceremony was also attended by a number of eminent artistes, practitioners and Guru(s) of Chhau.   This ‘Chhau Kendra’ will be a pivotal factor for the Sangeet Natak Akademi in achieving its target.

The ‘Chhau Kendra’ will work for the Chhau traditions,  organizing festivals, seminars documentation  etc. and also help in creating a database by way of directory, of the Chhau artists of the three styles of ‘Chhau’, for the Scheme of National Mission on Cultural Mapping (NMCM), Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

 The ‘Chhau Kendra’ will also organize workshop, seminar & lec-dem on Chhau traditions as well as for Chhau Dance, Costume Designing, Mask Making, Making of Musical Instruments (Dholam, Mohuri, Turi, Kahali, Jhanja etc). The workshop on the different aspects of Chhau gives an opportunity to the upcoming generation to learn the nuances of Chhau traditions from the Masters of the Chhau. The training projects will be held on the same lines of ‘Gurushishya Parampara’.