Locally manufactured, heavy wooden masks used to accompany dance performances, baiga charata masks are used predominantly by members of the Baiga community in Madhya Pradesh to celebrate the Charata festival.
The Charata festival is a celebration of the harvest season. Members of the community, usually young men, gather and dance wearing these masks, moving from one village to another on the day of the festival. They are provided with food and alcohol by the village residents.
Baiga charata masks are difficult to preserve due to the perishable materials used in their construction. In addition to the Baigas of Madhya Pradesh, variations of baiga charata masks are used in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district today.
First Published:
Last Updated: July 26, 2023
