TITLE: Ramman Mask
TYPE: face mask
GENERAL REGION: Asia
COUNTRY: India
SUBREGION: Uttarakhand
ETHNICITY: Garhwal
DESCRIPTION: Ramman Mask
CATALOG ID: N/A
MAKER: N/A
CEREMONY: Ramman Festival of Bhumiyal Devta
FUNCTION: Agriculture; Celebration; Entertainment
AGE: N/A
MAIN MATERIAL: Bhoj (Betula utilis) wood
OTHER MATERIALS: N/A
Every year in late April, the twin villages of Saloor-Dungra in Uttarakhand celebrate Ramman, a religious festival in honour of the patron god, Bhumiyal Devta, a local Hindu divinity. This ceremony includes the recitation of parts of the Ramayana and various legends, and the performance of songs and masked dances. The Bhandaris, representing locals of the Kshatriya caste, are alone entitled to wear one of the most sacred masks, that of the half-man, half-lion Hindu deity, Narasimha. The family that hosts Bhumiyal Devta during the year must adhere to a strict daily routine. Other masked figures include other deities and characters from the Ramayana.
The Museum’s collection does not currently include a representative example of a Ramman mask.
