Kushmandi Wooden Mask
About The Craft:
Locally called as Mukha, the Wooden Mask is an integral part of Rajbangshi Community of South Dinajpur District, West Bengal. The Masks are used by Gomira Dance Performers, a ritualistic non-Vocal dance to represent the characters from the traditional Gomira dance & the stories from the Lord Rama’s exile. Today, the Mask’s are Identified as Kushmandi Mask, named after the administrative block where the Mask making is still prominent.
Rajbanshi Community:
Rajbanshi meaning Royal Community, have a rich cultural heritage with dialect of their own, inherited from the ancient civilization. The Community is humble, peace loving and exits in harmony with Nature.
Seasoning of Wood:
Wooden Pieces are Kept submerged in large reservoirs of Water or Boric Acid for a week and later Sun dried for seasoning. This also protects the Wood from any future infestations.
Uniqueness:
- Well Marked Curvatures.
- Lifelike Patterns.
- Bold Appearance
- Material : Neem, Gamhar Tree.
- Perfect Balance of Colours.
- The Mask are usually in vivid red or green colors. They have ferocious facial expressions, blood shot eyes, wide dilated nostrils, wrinkled skin and open mouth from which fangs come out. They also sport unkempt black hair and black beards.
Wooden Mask of Kushmandi has been Conferred with the Geographical Indication (GI) status by the Government of India in 2016 with GI Number 319.
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