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THE MASK-MAKERS
(WOOD-CARVERS)
The masks made of clay, paper and cloth are found only in the Purulia district
of West Bengal. The mask-makers who are Sutradhars or wood-carvers by caste,
are located in two or three centres in Purulia and
practically originated from one centre. They were also known as Dutta and Seal.
This art depend fully on the local Chhau dance of Purulia found only in west
Bengal. Chhau dance is a mask-dance. There is no chhau without mask. The dance
and the mask are inseparable. Chhau-dance of Purulia has some characteristics of
primitive ritualistic dance in its vigour, style and musical accompaniment. And
the Chhau-masks also, even in their representation of Hindu Puranic
characters reveal some characteristics of primitive ritualistic masks in their
stylization and symbolization.
Chorda is the principal centres of Chhau-mask makers. Chorda is a village in
Baghmuni P.S, not very far from the Dak Bunglow and the Ajodhya Hills. The
Sutradhars occupy a distinct rank in the caste-hierarchy of the Hindus. Making
clay-images of idols is an important occupation of Chorda Sutradhars,
along with mask-making. The masks were first made of Simul wood and considering
the poverty of local dancers, the cheap materials were introduced later.
The technical stages of production are:
1. Preparation of clay-models.
2. Drying the models partly in sun.
3. Pasting of wet paper twice on these partly dried models.
4. Pasting of paper with glue, six to ten times. The glue is made of gum.
5. Pasting of clay-soaked pieces of cloth twice for parts of the face like
eyes, ears, nose etc.
6. Trimming up the whole thing with a small wooden,
'Kurni'
7. Full sun-drying.
8. Detaching the mask from the clay-model, dyeing, painting and
finishing.
Various types of Puranic characters, gods and goddesses, birds, animals and
demons etc. are made, such as-
Ram,
Ravan, Jambubab, Jatayu, Mahisasur, Kirat, Bhim, Arjun, Ganesh, Lakshman, Sita,
Abhimanyu, Surpanaka, Kumbhkarna, Siva, Durga, Kali, Saraswati, Krishna, Radha, Balaram and Peacock, Dog, Beer, Deer, Horse, tiger, Lion etc.
There is a mask-making season. It starts from Falgun (January-February) after
Saraswati Puja, aiming at Chaitra-Baisakh Gajan festival, which is the peak season
of Chhau-dance in Purulia.
There were mask-dancers and mask makers in Domordi village. They are Bhatta
Brahmins. These dancers has a liking for refined Puranic and Vaishnava themes.
The Sutradhars used to carve doors, house-posts or temple-terracotta's. The entire
temple-architecture of Bengal is a terracotta art-work done by the Sutradhars or
wood-carvers. These declined by the last quarter of the 19th century.
After that wood-carvers of Bengal mainly thrived on making Ratha, carving images
of Vaishnava deities and saints and wooden figures of Puranic characters for
exhibiting at Vaishnava and other festivals. In Calcutta, the Sutradhars of
Bengal are now either making clay-images of deities and furniture or turning to
other trades.
THE BHASKARS
The stone-carvers were known as Bhaskars. Burdwan is the most important centre
of Bengal school of stone sculpture. Patun and Dainhat near Katwa are the two
most important centres of Burdwan school of Bengal Sculptors.
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