Address:
ZILHA KRIDA SANKUL, NANDURBAR, NANDURBAR ,MAHARASHTRA - 425412
About type of art
Artefact Name - Masks
Artist Name (with mobile number) -
Sr.No. Name Contact No.
1) Subhas Dharma Kadu 9272423604
2) Yuvraj Bhagvan Kadu 7972554660
3) Sunil Rama Marad 9226807414
4) Sudam Kashiram Bhoye 9226756491
Tribe Name - Kokna, Warli , Kolam, Madia ,Gond.
Type of Artefact (Mask, tool, pottery, etc.) - Masks
Bhawani, Ardhanarinateshwar (A God, Half man and half woman), Suryadev(SunGod), Chandradev (MoonGod), Kodhal, Vishnu, Daitya (Demon)
Khanderao, Ravana, Bison (horn crown), Bail (Bull)
Material(Wood, metal, clay, etc.) - Paper pulp, wood, cow dung, clay, rice-husks beater grass.
Use/Function - (How was the artefact traditionally used, In 500 words)
Masks represent the presence of their God or Goddess, who provides moral and spiritual support. They also believe that spirits reside in the masks and influence the wearer's behavior, so old masks are ceremoniously destroyed each year to make way for new ones. During the festival procession, masked dancers enact myths from tribal folklore as well as Hindu epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata. The dancers enact steps typical of the character whose mask they wear, as they dance to the tune of musical instruments like the Sur, Kahali, and Sambal. In North Maharashtra, the Palghar District's Mokhada taluka celebrates a 250-year-old festival called Bohada, which spans five to 15 days. Each participating tribal member has been engaging in the festival for generations, cherishing fond memories of family members dancing throughout the night adorned in age-old masks and costumes.
Cultural Significance - (Meaning and importance of the artefact within the tribal community in 500 words)
Colours play a vital role in these masks. They are colored in the typical tribal fashion where each colour has a special significance. In certain types of masks, red colour is not used while in the other types, blue is avoided. Black is not used in blue masks but yellow is applied to the hair.
Dances in which these masks are used, have a religious base. Through these dances, tribals try to remember the qualities of various animals with whom they come into contact and express their affinity with the animals. Similarly, remembering the qualities of the dead tribals is also an integral part of the tribal culture. Tribals worship their dead through these dances. They believe that spirits reside in these masks and influence the behaviour of the wearer accordingly. Because of this belief, old masks are ceremoniously destroyed every year. The spirit enters the new masks only after the old ones are destroyed.
In recent times, due to the contact with the outside world, tribals too have started telling stories of epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata. But they do not call this art Rasa or Rasaleela, instead, they express these episodes through their traditional dance form like Bhavada or Dandar.
Bhavada is a group dance where a tribal is allotted a specific part. Particular families are privileged to do a particular kind of mask. The male members of the family are expected to point and decorate the mark.