more-inTill 2013, Sankar Das, a skilled craftsman carrying forward the 300-year-old tradition of making the unique Gomira wooden masks in north Bengal, lived in obscurity. A native of Kushmundi block in West Bengal’s Uttar Dinajpur district, he was among the 200-odd artisans making a living creating these masks for the annual Gomira dance festival held in and around the village. However, in 2013, after a memorandum of understanding was signed between the West Bengal government and UNESCO to promote culture-based livelihoods, things began to change for the better for these mask-makers. The 41-year-old artist, who said he has been associated with mask-making for three decades, admitted that had it not been for the support of the government, the art of Gomira mask-making and its traditions would have gone extinct. For instance, this year, the festival to promote mask-making will be held from October 27 to October 29,” said Ananya Bhattacharya, director and vice president (projects), at Banglanatak.com.

Source: The Hindu July 08, 2017 18:45 UTC