ॐ श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः ॐ श्री शिवानन्दाय नमः ॐ श्री चिदानन्दाय नमःॐ श्री दुर्गायै नमः
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Charida’s Painted Faces: The Living Art of Chhau Dance Masks in Purulia
Tucked away in the undulating landscape of Purulia district in West Bengal lies a small village that pulses with colour, myth, and motion – Charida. At first glance, it looks like any other quiet village, with tiled roofs, red soil paths, and the murmur of daily life. But step a little closer, and you’ll see that nearly every home here breathes art. Not just any art – but the vibrant, fierce, divine faces of Chhau.
This is the heartland of the Chhau mask.
For generations, the artisans of Charida have been sculpting and painting the expressive faces that bring Purulia Chhau dance to life. These aren’t just decorative masks – they are characters carved in clay and spirit. Gods, demons, mythical beasts, and celestial warriors – all come alive through these striking, oversized masks that sit heavy on the heads of the dancers, transforming them into living embodiments of folklore.
Where Performance Meets Devotion
The Chhau dance of Purulia is not just entertainment. It’s an offering. A dance-theatre form rooted in Shakta and Shaiva traditions, Chhau tells stories from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas, using no spoken words. The power lies in the physicality – high leaps, aggressive spins, war-like movements – all performed to the pulse of traditional drums like the dhamsa and madal.
And at the centre of this transformation are the mukhosh, the masks. Without them, the magic is incomplete.
Charida’s masks are not made in haste. It takes days – sometimes weeks – to shape them from clay and paper, smoothen them with ash and mud, dry them under the sun, and finally paint them with vivid strokes of crimson, gold, green, and cobalt. The headgear is often crowned with shiny foil, mirrors, and sequins, lending the dancers their regal or terrifying presence.
Artisans of the Divine
Almost every family in Charida is engaged in some aspect of mask-making. It’s a village where art flows through generations – from father to son, mother to daughter. Many homes double up as small workshops. You’ll see rows of drying masks stacked on bamboo racks, or old men delicately outlining the fierce brows of Ravana, or painting the calm smile of Shiva.
What’s touching is that for the artisans, these masks are not mere products. They refer to them as “the faces of gods”, and there’s a kind of reverence in how they speak of their work.
One elderly artist I met, Bholanath Sutradhar, told me with quiet pride, “We may not have gone far from Charida, but our masks have travelled the world.”
Indeed, they have.
From Delhi’s Republic Day parade to cultural festivals in France, Japan, and the US – Charida’s masks have become global symbols of Bengal’s folk heritage. Yet, the village itself remains modest, humble, and deeply rooted in tradition.
A Fragile Legacy?
While the global appreciation is heartening, the artisans also face challenges – fluctuating incomes, lack of modern marketing avenues, and the slow fading of interest among the younger generation. But hope persists.
Charida today is slowly waking up to tourism. A handful of homestays have cropped up. Festivals like the Chhau-Jhumur Utsav held nearby bring attention to the rich cultural fabric of the region. NGOs and state-run craft initiatives are also stepping in to help promote and preserve this living tradition.
But what Charida really needs is recognition with heart – a respect that acknowledges not just the artistry, but the stories, the sweat, and the centuries of faith behind each mask.
In Conclusion
Charida is not just a place – it’s a quiet theatre where gods are made, day after day. Where hands caked in clay shape divinity. Where dance, myth, and craftsmanship weave together into something larger than life.
Next time you see a Chhau dancer in full costume – leaping through the air as Ravana or Arjuna or Mahishasura – know that somewhere in Charida, an artisan once dreamed that face into being.
Let us not forget them.
Chhau-Jhumur Utsav of Charida: When a Village Becomes a Stage and Tradition Dances Alive
