Volume-I, Issue-V, May 2025 > Volume-I, Issue-VI, July 2025
Volume-I, Issue-VI, July, 2025 |
Received: 12.07.2025 | Accepted: 18.07.2025 | ||
Published Online: 31.07.2025 | Page No: 1461-1466 | ||
DOI: 10.69655/atmadeep.vol.1.issue.06W.152 | |||
পশ্চিমবঙ্গের মুখোশ শিল্পী সম্প্রদায়: সাংস্কৃতিক ও আর্থ-সামাজিক প্রেক্ষিত প্রদীপ কুমার সরকার, গবেষক, লোকসংস্কৃতি বিভাগ, কল্যাণী বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, নদীয়া, পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, ভারত সুজয় কুমার মন্ডল, অধ্যাপক, লোকসংস্কৃতি বিভাগ, কল্যাণী বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, নদীয়া, পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, ভারত |
The Mask-Making Artist Community of West Bengal: A Cultural and Socio-Economic Perspective Prodip Kumar Sarkar, Research Scholar, Department of Folklore, University of Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal, India Sujay Kumar Mandal, Professor, Department of Folklore, University of Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal, India | ||
ABSTRACT | ||
West Bengal is considered to be a very important hub of cultural heritage. Among the various art forms of the state, the oldest traditional art form is the mask making craft. Mask making craft is practiced in various parts of Charida, North Dinajpur, Malda and Murshidabad district. This craft form is not only a cultural heritage of West Bengal but has also become one of the means of livelihood for many marginalized rural families. The raw materials used in mask making, such as clay, paper, cloth, wood, dyes, glue and modern tools are collected by the artisans from the local market or a bigger market of the district. These masks, handma de by the artists, are used in traditional Chhau dance, Gambhira, Gamira dance. In addition, these masks are used for home and office beautification in modern times both in India and abroad. Nowadays, in the context of this modern era, the mask artists and the oldest cultural elements are facing multiple obstacles. The invention of modern machinery and factory-made plastic masks, the influence of middlemen, the increase in the price of raw materials used for production and the lack of support from the state government have put this mask industry in a crisis from the socio-economic point of view. The artists are seeing some profit through their participation in tourism fairs, handicraft fairs organized by the state government and non-government organizations and the marketing of the products. Also, some mask artists have found new markets through online marketing. However, some artisans of this group are still economically poor who have not been able to cope up with the changing factors or the changed market demands. The socio-economic and cultural future of the industry has become uncertain due to the disinterest of the young generation in this industry and the lack of training of artists. Our research paper will discuss the cultural and socio-economic perspectives of mask artisans. | ||
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