© Penelope Gan – All Rights Reserved – Phodong Monastery – Sikkim, INDIA

Similar to other religious theatrical performances in other parts of the world,  Atsaras (jokers) plays an important part in Chaams. Their movement in the dance are not governed by any religious rule but rather they are granted considerable freedom of movement up to the degree where there is even no restriction against them from mimicking the dancers personifying deities of the highest rank. The persona or characteristic they put on not only entertains the spectators but is often a counteract to a certain degree the sinister, oppressing, impressions created by the numerous wrathful, threatening deities and their attendants.

Atsaras is an adaptation from the Hindu word ācārya (Sanskrit: आचार्य; Pali: acariya) that means ’spiritual teacher’. Accordingly, the masks of Atsaras are usually dark brown or black, with prominent noses, often bearded, and with long hair or with a hair knot at the top, as customarily worn by Indian mendicants. Female Atsaras evolved much later followed by others taking on different characterization. Nonetheless, Ha Zhang – dressed in a huge, bald-headed mask showing a fat smiling face with Chinese features – and ‘the white old man’ remains as the principal Atsaras of the Chaam.

In addition to entertaining the public with their mimics, the Atsaras have the tasks of readjusting the masks and costumes of the dancers which might get into disorder in the course of the dance.

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