India & Himalayas

India has important traditions of masquerade

Durga mask
Durga mask

I thought you might enjoy seeing this Durga mask from West Bengal, India. It is15 inches tall and made of heavy papier-mâché. Durga is considered a primary deity in Hinduism and one of the greatest goddesses. Durga Puja is the biggest festival in much of Northeast India. Made for a professional Chhau dancer, this perfect piece, with its carefully molded crown, has been made of a molded fiber and plaster material that is quite strong, and then painted. This is a feature photo in the new reference book, Masks of the World, by yours truly. It should be available in about a month.  Bob, 774

One Comment

  • Sharon Lowen

    I enjoyed seeing this mask I collected in the 70’s featured here, as well as the mask on the book cover. Delightful. I have a photo of the mask maker of the Durga mask at Santineketan, West Bengal with the whole collection he brought there that I scooped up. A few masks are with a friend in LA still available.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

I accept the Privacy Policy