Mask Industry of Bengal:
Dinajpur’s Kushmandi and Purulia’s Charida are the abode of Bengal masks. Both are GI tagged. Both are mainly created for dancing. Rajbangshi people of Dinajpur use wooden masks for Gomira dance and people of Purulia use Chhau masks for Chhau dance. While Gomira masks are made of wood, Chhau masks are made of paper, clay and glue.
Chhau Mask and Charida village:
Charida village. This village has become popular among the people because of the Chhau dance mask. Chhau masks are made particularly by the craftsmen, artists who live in Charida village. So Charida is now better known as Mask village. This Charida village is just 2.5 km from Baghmundi at the foothills of Ayodhya Hills. From Baghmundi it is easily accessible by auto or toto. Sometimes you can get a bus. While going to Khairabera Dam from Baghmundi, one has to pass over this Charida village.
The artists here have been making masks for generations. One generation teaching the next generation the art of mask making. Basically the Sutradhar community people here are more associated with mask making. But no formal training institutes provide training to make these Chhau masks. Although there are folk art centers at Balrampur and Bamnia in Purulia for learning Chhau dance style. There is also a museum of masks in Charida village. The museum is housed in a old house of the “Chow Mukhosh Shilpi Sangha, Sutradhar Samiti” group. You can easily get directions by searching this name on Google Maps. This museum is two minutes away from Charida village junction where Maa Durga temple is located.
Chhau History:
The history of Chhau dance is the dance tradition came from Saraikela (now Jharkhand) to Purulia. Around 150 years ago, Raja Madan Mohan Singh Deo of Baghmundi started the practice of mask making in Charida. The king liked this chhau dance very much.
The Chhau dance came to the court of the world with the hand of Padma Shri awardee Gambhir Singh Mura. Not only in the country, but also in England, France, Japan, America, he performed chhau dance.
Mask Shopping:
Apart from Durga, Kali, Kartika, Mahishasura, Asura, Ravana, Lion, Bird, Kathkali, Santal couplet, various masks are made. Masks made for chhau dance are priced at around INR. 5000-6000, and for home decoration, masks are available from INR.40 to 1500-2000. Fairly good masks are available between INR. 150-350. Most of these are bargainable. Beautiful small locket masks are available for INR. 30-40. The evolution of color is also noticeable now. Neon colors are used so that the mask glows in blue light.
Delicacies in Desi Style:
Opposite Shilpa Kutir (New Art College) there is a tea shop where special tea (chai) is available. Short walk along the direction of Shilpa Kutir towards Khayrabera, there is a fritters shop. Fries, fritters, chops are available, specially potato chops are great.
How to go:
You can reach by car from Purulia within two and a half hours (distance 61 km), and from Barabhum station you will reach Charida village in one hour (only 27 km). You can get autorickshaw reserved from Barabhum station. The best train to reach Purulia or Barabhum is Howrah Chakradharpur Express. If you board at 12 a.m. at night, you can reach Purulia at 6 am and Barabhum at 7 am.
Accomodation:
While Charida does not have such good accommodation facilities, there are several hotels in Baghmundi. Hotels are available roughly between 1000-1500. Food facilities are available in almost all the hotels
