Traditional Chhau artistes with their masks

Jamshedpur, Dec. 23: Kanhaiya Lal Maharana and Sushant Kumar Mohapatra have been all around the world with their chhau masks. But nothing compares to the feeling of being home.

“I have shown my chhau mask exhibits in various cities including New York, Vienna and Berlin. But the feeling of displaying the art before my people is something that cannot be described in words,” said Sushant Kumar Mohapatra.

The duo is here to display their chhau masks at the opening day of the handicraft fair at Kalamandir in Bistupur. The workshop-cum-exhibition-cum-sale is aimed at promoting talented artists.

Placed at nine different stalls, the art displays — dokra (metal craft), Madhubani paintings, stone carving, wood carving, jute work, bamboo work, terracotta products, chhau masks and traditional tribal musical instruments.

Artists from all over the country came to participate in the eight-day workshop-cum-exhibition being organised by Kalamandir — the Celluloid Chapter Art Foundation.

The workshop-cum-exhibition has been sponsored by development commissioner (handicrafts), Union ministry of textile.

District deputy development commissioner Nagendra Prasad Singh inaugurated the workshop.

“These masks have been made with lot of patience and hard work. We need to concentrate to make them perfect. A slight mistake would make matters worse,” said Maharana, a Seraikela-based artist.

Artists from Khunti displayed dokra items ranging from warriors, weapons to lamps.

But the stalls displaying Madhubani paintings, jute and Bamboo items were the added attraction. However, two artists from Nimdih were busy concentrating on moulding clay to give desired shape, while their counterparts were busy chipping the rough edges of a large stone.

“I am trying to give it shape of a ship. The idea is interesting. I think it would be ready in two days time,” said a local artist, who has come up with his displays for the first time.

Encased neatly in glass enclosures of different sizes, the work on shola is both intricate and beautiful.

“We have got the shola items from different places in West Bengal. We are engaged in this art for many years. The cost of an item depends upon its size,” said city-based Pranab Kumar Mallik, who is associated with an art group from Howrah.

“I was eager to watch chhau masks. I saw some masks made by undertrials of the Sakchi jail. They were wonderful,” said Nupur Jena, a resident of Sonari.