Wood: Ganesha in Colour

Mukha art is a near-extinct art from northern West Bengal. The Government of India awarded these handcrafted masks the GI certification in order to promote and preserve them. This mask is an example of this rare art form. These masks are crafted by the artists with great devotion and offered to the deities. Every village organises a Gomira dance during the summer for the mask offering. They invoke good forces, drive out evil spirits, and propitiate the guardian deity for a prosperous harvest in the coming year. The mask is carefully handcrafted and painted with natural or acrylic colours.