Performers wearing traditional masks at a bhaona. Picture by UB Photos

Guwahati, March 17: Move over Spiderman and Batman, children in Assam could soon discard toys and masks depicting western comic characters for those featuring figures from Hindu mythology.

The Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, has undertaken a project to popularise masks used in Assamese bhaonas, the collective name for the mythological plays introduced by saint-reformer Sankardev.

The traditional masks are made of wood or terracotta, and the most common characters depicted in these are of the demon king Ravan, monkey-god Hanuman and the mythical bird Jatayu.

The design department of IIT intends to make replicas of these masks and soft toys with silicon and rubber. It has sought the expertise of mask-makers from two satras (Vaishnavaite monasteries) ? the Notun Samaguri Satra of Majuli and the Katpar Satra of Sivasagar ? to ensure authenticity.

A.K. Das, associate professor at the IIT?s design department, said his team had already done a study on the implications of transforming the traditional forms of these masks with advanced technology. ?These masks are usually made of materials such as terracotta, metal, bamboo and wood, all of which are very heavy. We are trying to use silicon or rubber.?

The Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture is supporting the IIT project.Das said the IIT design department was planning to market the mythological characters in Assamese plays in the form of soft toys, too.

A workshop involving the satras and soft-toy manufacturers is being planned to generate ideas.

Dipankar Mahanta, a functionary of the Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture, said traditional masks could be used in school dramas to popularise Assamese mythology among children. ?Masks speak a silent language that is universally understood and which defines the essence of human expressions and emotions at various levels ? spiritual, religious and material,? Mahanta said.

Das said irrespective of whether a mask is made of wood, metal or fabric, it continues to be a source of mystery and fascination.