Chhau is a form of traditional dance found in tribal regions: Odisha (Mayurbhanj), Jharkhand (Seraikella), and West Bengal (Purulia), and each has its own style. In Mayurbhanj, however, Chhau took form as an expressive and exquisite art under the regal asylum. The term is said to have derived from 'Chhauni' (military camp) because of a close association it kept with martial arts.

Mayurbhanj Chhau is devoid of masks and is full of vigorous and dynamic expressions where performances, mostly during Chaitra Parva - when Lord Shiva is revered - allow young boys to show their skills in an active performance. The forms revolve around martial arts, folktales, and tribalism.
It has marked its deep roots in the Ho, Munda, and Santhal tribes, which have always played an important role in imbibing it. Traditional music, mythology, and sacred practices of these tribal communities contributed much both to the dance and also made it a unique cultural synthesis. Ramhari Jeet Bebarta brought the dance to Mayurbhanj during the reign of Maharaja Krishna Chandra Bhanj after seeing it in Seraikela, according to Chhau guru Dibakar Bhanj Babu in Bhanja Pradeep.