Hand Carved Lord Ram - Kushmandi Wooden Mask

Magnacraft presents to you the exquisitely hand carved masks of Kushmandi from North Dinajpur of West Bengal. There is something enigmatic about these masks.

Product: Hand carved Lord Ram mask

Material: Wood

Colour: Matt Black

The serene countenance of Lord Ram, brought to life by the talented wood carvers of Kushmandi. Hook is provided at the back for wall mounting.

Keep away from direct sunlight and moisture

Imperfections and variations in the product cannot be termed as defects, as these are intrinsic to the handmade process.

Colors in the photograph may vary from the actual product due to studio lighting.

Ships within 10 days 

Kushmandi Masks of Mahishbathan: 

“A mask tells us more than the face that puts it on – Oscar Wilde” 

One comes upon Mahishbathan, a verdant and rustic hamlet (50 Km from Raiganj as the Jeep plies), as one is about to enter what is famously known as the “Chicken’s Neck”. This hamlet is the origin of the hand made and enigmatic Kushmandi Masks. Kushmandi masks have been used for centuries in the local dance form called Gomira. The exact provenance of this dance form and the mask making craft associated with it, lie somewhere in the hoary past. 

The word Gomira is a colloquial form of the root Gram Chandi, a female deity. The dance is performed during the Baisakh-Jyestha-Asarh months of the Indian calendar; corresponding to the meriod mid-April to mid-July. The dance is offered in order to propitiate the village deity. Gomira dance has two distinct forms – Gomira and Ram-Vanvas. Both dance forms have their own pantheon of masks. 

The dancers wear different kinds of masks portraying Gods, Goddesses, humans, animals and characters from Hindu epics like Ramayana. Many devotees also pledge a certain number of masks as an offering in the event that their wishes fructify. In recent times these masks have gained a lot of popularity. Masks tailored for home décor are different from those used for the dance. The woods used for making these masks are neem, gamhar, teak, mango etc. Each mask is chiselled from a single block of wood. Masks vary in size from 3 inches long to over 15 inches long. Earlier the colouring dyes were plant extracts. However, these natural  dyes could not last long and the  craftsmen have switched to enamel paints. Masks are also available in varnish finish. 

The fine craftsmanship of the Kushmandi craftsmen has caught the eye of the world and the masks have become quite popular in recent times. It takes anywhere between 4-15 days to chisel a mask. In recent times craftsmen have branched out into other carved products like bass relief decorative panels, patio décor etc.