Chhau Music Festival 2026 to return to Odisha with three-day immersive celebration of UNESCO-recognised dance heritage

The Belgadia Palace, in partnership with Aadi Naad and RARE India, has announced the 2026 edition of The Chhau Music Festival, a three-day cultural immersion celebrating Chhau, a UNESCO-listed Intangible Cultural Heritage dance form of Eastern India. Taking place from January 29 to 31, 2026, the festival invites lovers of culture, performing arts, heritage and experiential travel to Baripada in Odisha, which is the birthplace of the Mayurbhanj style of Chhau, for an authentic encounter with a living tradition. Conceived as a private arts commission by The Belgadia Palace, the festival brings together artists, cultural custodians and global travellers in a setting deeply rooted in history and community.

Chhau originates from the tribal belts of Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal and draws from martial drills, folk traditions and classical dance. Known for its powerful movement vocabulary, sculptural storytelling and symbolic use of masks, the art form brings mythology and folklore vividly alive. The Chhau Music Festival 2026 presents a rare opportunity to experience all three distinct styles of Chhau – Mayurbhanj, Saraikela and Purulia – over three days, while engaging directly with the people and places that have sustained the form across generations.

Speaking about the upcoming festival, Shoba Rudra, Founder, RARE India, said, “At RARE, preserving heritage is integral to our approach to sustainable travel. Chhau, a UNESCO-listed intangible cultural heritage from Eastern India, is both powerful and fragile, and The Belgadia Palace offers it as a meaningful immersive experience. Hosting the festival in Baripada, the birthplace of the Mayurbhanj style, allows us to bring together performing arts, culture, craft and cuisine in a thoughtfully curated three-day celebration.”

Hosted at The Belgadia Palace, a 200-year-old Victorian-era residence of the Bhanj Deo royal family, the festival unfolds within a boutique heritage stay lovingly restored by Princesses Mrinalika and Akshita M. Bhanj Deo. Nestled in Baripada, the Palace offers regal hospitality, farm-to-table Odia cuisine, guided palace tours and curated cultural experiences, while supporting sustainable tourism, women-led enterprises and the revival of regional traditions.

The festival programme highlights the diversity of Chhau, opening with the vibrant Purulia Chhau from West Bengal and the athletic, maskless Mayurbhanj Chhau endemic to the region. The second day showcases the refined Saraikela Chhau from Jharkhand, known for its delicate masks and nuanced expressions, while the final day returns to Mayurbhanj Chhau, culminating in an immersive village experience with rehearsals and participatory practice sessions.

Beyond performances, Chhau Music Festival 2026 offers deep cultural immersion through intimate talks with members of the royal family and local NGO founders, visits to the authentic Baripada Haat, hands-on cooking sessions with Chef Joymalya, heritage walks, artisan village visits and village-based Chhau workshops.

The Chhau Music Festival will be held from January 29 to 31, 2026. With its focus on authenticity, community engagement and living heritage, The Chhau Music Festival 2026 offers a rare and immersive way to experience one of India’s most powerful yet under-seen performing traditions – where it was born and where it continues to thrive.

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