The Craft of Accessorizing for Chhau Dancers

The process of making masks for Chhau dancers in Purulia, India

Dastkari Haat Samiti

Dastkari Haat Samiti

Chhau Mask: Community and settlements around (2018-02-26)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Working with clay

Masks made for Chhau dance performances in Purulia are fascinating for their variety of characters, different expressions, flamboyant colours and ability to dazzle. The process is laborious, meticulous and wondrous, and it takes many steps for simple materials to be transformed into a dancer’s awe-inspiring mask.

Mask making begins by using a rough stone mold, shaped like a face, over which a layer of clay is spread.

Two sheets of paper, usually from a used school notebook, are pasted together with gum and smoothened over the clay form.

Another slightly thicker layer of clay is then added and smoothed over again.

Chhau Mask: Tools (2018-02-26)Dastkari Haat Samiti

The tools for making a mask are extremely simple, and are made at home by the clay mask makers themselves.

Chhau Mask: Tools (2018-02-26)Dastkari Haat Samiti

All that is needed is a set of different sized wooden spoons or spatulas to lay the clay over the surface of the mask.

Chhau Mask: Shops around the village (2018-02-26)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Sheets of used, old, school books and notebooks are spread over the initial layer of clay and paper of the mask because of their perfect thickness.

Nearly the entire set of materials except the decorative sequins on the elaborate headdress are organic and ecologically responsible.

Chhau Mask: Community and settlements around (2018-02-26)Dastkari Haat Samiti

The first layer of clay and paper on a mask is daubed with paint and define the shape and nature of the Chhau mask.

Chhau Mask: Shops around the village (2018-02-26)Dastkari Haat Samiti

The final surface of a clay mask has to be carefully prepared to be suitable for painting.

Chhau Mask: Shops around the village (2018-02-26)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Protruding features like bared teeth, a prominent nose or horns need extra bits of clay added on, to change the character being portrayed by the Chhau dancer’s mask or decorative wall piece.

Chhau Mask: Shops around the village (2018-02-26)Dastkari Haat Samiti

While making a traditional clay mask, the face of each figure is chiseled very carefully to heighten its beauty.

Chhau Mask: Community and settlements around (2018-02-26)Dastkari Haat Samiti

After the contours are chiseled, strong facial features are carefully carved into the still soft clay with a palette knife.

Chhau Mask: Community and settlements around (2018-02-26)Dastkari Haat Samiti

While making a more elaborate dancer’s mask with a full headdress, the top portion is tried on for size to get the size, expression and colours of the face just right.

Chhau Mask: Shops around the village (2018-02-26)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Demon-like faces are placed here, waiting for the next layer of work to bring them alive with colour and detail, and those special features that make a Chhau mask distinctive.

Chhau Mask: Process of making the mask (2018-02-27)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Painting the masks

Once the masks are ready, the artisan paints a single colour, usually a standard one always used for a particular character. The painted details on the clay give it a character - of a woman, a demon, a god or goddess, or an animal. Often the animal (a tiger, lion or deer) is covered with a layer of coloured gauze to give it a rough texture and an authentic look.

Chhau Mask: Process of mask the making (2018-02-27)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Skin textures of animals like lions and tigers are made by pasting coloured gauze over the clay surface.

Chhau Mask: Process of mask the making (2018-02-27)Dastkari Haat Samiti

The detail of the lion mask where the texture created by coloured gauze - normally used for bandaging wounds - effectively approximates the surface of a lion’s coat.

Chhau Mask: Process of making the mask (2018-02-26) by Chhau mask painterDastkari Haat Samiti

Once the clay on the facial area has dried, it is ready to be painted by artists among the mask makers.

Chhau Mask: Process of making the mask (2018-02-26) by Chhau mask painterDastkari Haat Samiti

Smaller Chhau masks being made for tourists are painted in batches.

Chhau Mask: Process of making the mask (2018-02-27)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Contrasting colours are daubed on for shading, and make the mask look more effective.

Chhau Mask: Shops around the village (2018-02-26)Dastkari Haat Samiti

After shading portions of the face, details are painted onto the clay mask.

Chhau Mask: Shops around the village (2018-02-26)Dastkari Haat Samiti

The different stages of readiness seen in these six masks shows how they look at the end of each of the processes to make one mask.

Chhau Mask: Process of mask the making (2018-02-27)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Hair Care

Once the masks have been painted, the artisan makes the hair. This is a two step process, which involves painting the decorative curls, and pasting long black artificial hair. Jute strands are coloured black or grey to serve as hair, and artificial fur is used to frame the face of lions and other furry animals.

Chhau Mask: Process of mask the making (2018-02-27)Dastkari Haat Samiti

The making of hair on a mask is done in two stages. First, the surface is coloured black and decorative curls for the edge of the face are painted on the face.

Chhau Mask: Process of making the mask (2018-02-26)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Natural jute, dyed black, is used to make hair which is then attached to the clay faces.

Chhau Mask: Process of mask the making (2018-02-27)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Long, curly black hair is a sign of beauty in India, so artificial hair for the clay masks is similarly prepared.

Chhau Mask: Shops around the village (2018-02-27) by The trio of Dutt brothers (Rajib, Sanjib & Partho)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Adornment

The head gear framing the face is an elaborate combination of beads of all colours, shapes and sizes strung together with thin wire and fitted together to create a large head piece to frame the mask. It often weighs up to 5 kilos.

Masks worn down after constant use are repaired and retouched to be used again, so the recycling aspect of the mask goes full circle.

Chhau Mask: Process of mask the making (2018-02-27)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Once the ‘hair’ is in place, the process of adorning the mask with jewelry made of gold ribbon, beads and artificial pearls begins.

Chhau Mask: Process of mask the making (2018-02-27)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Adornments and embellishments for headdresses, costumes and costume jewelry need large quantities of beads and baubles. These are stored in the workshops or homes of those who make them.

Chhau Mask: Tools (2018-02-26)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Simple pincers, strips of fine metal wire and a variety of beads are used for embellishments for Purulia Chhau masks and costumes for dancers.

Chhau Mask: Process of mask the making (2018-02-27)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Dexterity and creativity are all that is needed for artisans in a mask making workshop.

Chhau Mask: Process of mask the making (2018-02-27)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Lengths of wire threaded with golden coloured beads are coiled into many rows on a head dress.

Chhau Mask: Process of mask the making (2018-02-27)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Masks, wire, beads, scissors, pincers form the landscape of a Purulia mask maker’s workshop.

Chhau Mask: Process of mask the making (2018-02-27)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Embellishments of baubles and beads, create a small head dress and make all the difference to the beauty of a painted face.

Chhau Mask: Process of mask the making (2018-02-27)Dastkari Haat Samiti

The hairstyles of different personalities in the dancers’ pantheon require different treatments and styling. The artists of Purulia are adept at styling a wide variety of masks.

Chhau Mask: Process of mask the making (2018-02-27)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Finishing the headdress and costumes

Costumes are ornamented by women who sew beads and metallic thread on to brightly coloured satin or cotton fabric, trimmed with golden frills or tassels. It is hard to believe the dancers not only carry all this with grace but can turn multiple somersaults and back flips to rhythmic drumbeats wearing such a heavy load.

Chhau Mask: Shops around the village (2018-02-26)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Despite the bright, fluorescent quality of the headdresses, they are aesthetically matched with the facial colours of the mask for a thoroughly pleasing effect.

Chhau Mask: Shops around the village (2018-02-26)Dastkari Haat Samiti

A dance mask is almost ready with only the last few beads remaining to be attached.

Chhau Mask: Shops around the village (2018-02-26)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Coloured shiny paper used for party gifts are made into frills to add to the slightly mobile parts of the Chhau dancer’s headdress.

Chhau Mask: Process of making the mask (2018-02-27)Dastkari Haat Samiti

An elderly, experienced lady from the mask maker community deftly embroiders a variety of silver and artificial pearl beads onto parts of the Chhau dancer’s costume in her workshop-cum-home in Purulia.

Chhau Mask: Process of making the mask (2018-02-27)Dastkari Haat Samiti

The flamboyant colours of the costumes and headdress when embellished with sequins, beads and other baubles add to the performances' ability to dazzle.

Chhau Mask: Process of making the mask (2018-02-27)Dastkari Haat Samiti

It is hard to believe the dancers not only carry all this with grace but can turn multiple somersaults and back flips to rhythmic drumbeats wearing such a heavy load.

Chhau Mask: Shops around the village (2018-02-27) by The trio of Dutt brothers (Rajib, Sanjib & Partho)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Credits: Story

Text: Jaya Jaitly
Photography: Chirodeep Chaudhuri, Charu Verma, Shubham
Artisans: Rajib Dutt, Sanjib Dutt, Partho Dutt
Ground Facilitator: Ankit Kumar
Curation: Ruchira Verma

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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