Ever took a fancy of masks while strolling on the streets of Janpath or seen imported ones which come all the way from South Africa, Sri Lanka and South Asian nations to be exhibited at the India International Trade Fair. If you have missed them at the annual fair then head to the India International Centre where an exhibition of Mexican masks is currently on.
For the uninitiated, Mexican masks have a rich history behind them; mask making tradition were alive before the Spanish stepped foot there. Aztec, Maya, Olmec were specialist mask makers. And these masks, which have now become symbol of Mexico, were used in rituals by indigenous groups. From then on these masks have caught on the imagination of contemporary artists in Mexico.
Though Mexico and India have thousands of miles distancing them, they share similarities as far as mask making is concerned. Like Mexican masks are traditional, so too are Indian masks. In Mexico masks are worn in village festivals as well as honouring Saint’s days. In Odisha, Pattachitra-styled masks, made of wood and papier mache, are worn by artists during Jatra. In Assam these are worn by locals during Rongali Bihu, where folk artisans dance with gaiety and abandon.
“Most of the masks in this exhibition are used by dancers during performances which lie at the heart of Mexican folklore. We have a dance known as Dance of the Old Men where masks depict old people,” informs Mexican Ambassador Melba Pria, the force behind the exhibition.
In the same way, “Masks are worn by Chhau and Monastic dancers during festivals,” says noted impresario Jaya Jaitly.
While Indian masks are mostly made of papier mache, cow dung and wood, Mexican masks are crafted by using lacquered wood caring, polychromed wood, leather, cloth, ceramic and metal. Apindra Swain, a mask maker from Raghurajpur in Odisha, says: “Ours is a heritage village, where most masks are made by women. To begin with, we use old newspapers and then use cow dung and mud to make a base of paper. Then we use gum. We also use stone powder and vanaspati colours. We make masks of Kali, Durga, Krishna, Ganesha. Adivasi masks are not done the traditional way as we apply different colours and threading.”
According to Vibhuti Mahanto, who is keeping alive mask making tradition of his father Rebakanta Mahanto in Assam, “Bamboo is used to make face and sticky mud is applied on it. Then it is layered with cloth. We apply cow dung to make nose, ears and eyes. Its lightness ensures that the mask is not heavy. We wrap it with another layering of cloth. Lastly, we apply colour.”
“Unique materials including animal pelvis; maguey cactus stalk; gourds; hide of diverse animals; tortoise shells; wax and others incorporated in the masks reaffirm the cultural and biological richness of Mexico,” says Melba Pria.
Form of cultural expression
Masks in Odisha, West Bengal, North East are seen as a form of cultural expression. It is like an art form and artisans make it with same passion as sculpture or painting.
Rebakanta had made a special mask which was used in tableau of Assam in Republic Day in 2003. “A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was so impressed that he hugged my father at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. It was an honour for all of us; we presented him mask of Narasimha ,” says Vibhuti.
Recognition apart, can these masks sustain artisans who come from marginalised communities of the North East, Odisha and West Bengal?
“Everything in India we take for granted. We have a wealth of talent in this country. Mexican masks are sought after as they are exotic. In Delhi, foreigners are crazy for masks which are bought from Nepal. So these masks are exotic for them,” says Jaitly.
Commenting on the mask masking scenario and those engaged in infusing life into them, Jaitly says: “Masks are made across the country and they vary like dancers masks, ceremonial masks. Masks of male and female dancers have not become part of mainstream. Even Buddhist masks and those from the North East are not enough to sustain the artists. They have to paint or sculpt to earn their livelihood.”
Tradition
Mask making tradition has been practised in India for centuries. “Mask making in Assam was initiated by Mahapurush Sankaradeva, the 15th Century saint, who introduced them in Ankia Bhaona, a traditional form of drama. Since then Sattras of Assam set up by Sankaradeva and his disciples, Samaguri Sattra and Khatpar Sattra, is taking it forward. We need to do a lot to preserve this wonderful artisan work,” says Shyamkanu Mahanta, organiser of North East Festival in Delhi.
“The use of masks in Mexico dates from 3000 BC. Mexican indigenous cultures have flourished and survived through expressions of popular art and masks are a fundamental element of this magical cultural manifestation,” says Melba.
“Generally, each town in Mexico boasts one or more artisans specialising in mask production. In some cases the craft has been passed down through multiple generations of artisans sometimes a dancer makes his own mask without being a specialist. In addition to technical skill, the mask-maker must also have detailed knowledge of all the customary dances of the town and each of the characters involved.”
While Indian masks are predominantly of Gods and Goddesses like Vishnu, Krishna, Shiva, Kali and Durga, Mexican masks depict Europeans, African-Mexican people. “Masks of Gods like Vishnu, Shiva are popular as these are used in folk lore traditions. Masks are seen as a work of art by locals. It is like creating a sculpture and it gives us an opportunity to express our creativity,” notes Mahanta.
“Occasionally, mask makers also carve the figures of saints. There are some masks such as the ones from the city of Naolinco, in Veracruz that depict an exaggerated view of Europeans — Santiago’s Mask while “Negrito” depicts Africans,” says Melba. She says animals like jaguar and tiger are also inspire the artists.
“The purpose of the exhibition is to showcase our beautiful handicrafts and the Mexican tradition of mask-making with a focus on highlighting how similar these practices can be to those in India, a country which also has a deep rooted tradition of masks, especially in the East. We are certain that the exhibition will fulfil the purpose of showing Indian audiences the liveliness of our folk art as well as encouraging a dialogue between our two millenary cultures,” sums up Melba.
