Biggest annual Chhau dance festival. Hundreds of performers in Mayurbhanj style (no masks). Fire performances, martial arts choreography.
Why it mattersUNESCO intangible heritage — the biggest Chhau dance gathering of the year
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Naksh.iq
ISSUE Nº 47 · MAY 2026
Festival · ODISHA
Chaitra Parva Chhau Festival.
April (Chaitra month) · Baripada
Going for this? Baripada in April
NakshIQ score
4/10
Go
April Chaitra Parva is THE Chhau event — hundreds of masked dancers, fire performances
Getting there
Elevation
62 m
Nearest airport
Kolkata Airport (CCU) — 280km
Nearest railway
Baripada Railway Station — 2km
Live in Baripada
Where to stay in Baripada
Hotel Ambika
₹₹hotel · Roxy Road, near Biju Patnaik Square, Baripada — central, near the bus stand and collectorateOne of Baripada's longest-running hotels — a central 3-star with AC rooms, a restaurant and a bar, walkable to the bus stand, court and Maa Ambika temple. The most reliable in-town base for travellers heading to Simlipal or the famous Baripada Rath Yatra.
Where to eat
Garma Garam
LegendaryBaripada town centre · ₹SignatureMudhi mansa — Baripada-style mutton curry with hand-pounded puffed rice
Eat it for breakfast (8-11 AM), the way Mayurbhanj does — the puffed rice goes soggy if you wait. Ask Jogeswar for the liver plate; only loyal regulars know it's available, not on the standard board. Cash only.
Taste of Similipal
Near Baripada Bus Stand, Main Road · ₹₹Signature4-hour slow-cooked mudhi mansa
Call ahead on the day (+91 6782 251234) to confirm mudhi mansa is on — they batch-cook, and the morning batch is the best one (afternoon plates are reheated). They take WhatsApp orders for pre-Simlipal pickup.
Sanjay Mudhi Mansa
Baripada · ₹SignatureMudhi mansa breakfast plate
Get there before 9 AM weekends, before 10 AM weekdays — kettles of curry are drained by mid-morning. Order one plate to share between two if you're heading to Simlipal afterwards (the spice runs hot).
Suruchi — Hotel Ambika
Roxy Cinema Hall Road · ₹₹SignatureMayurbhanj mutton curry with parathas
Skip if Garma Garam is open — Suruchi is the all-rounder, not the destination. But for late dinner (Garma Garam shuts ~10 PM), this is the only mid-range kitchen still running.
Other festivals in April, elsewhere
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