Age-old tradition to come alive at ‘Mukhamela’

In association with UNESCO the department of micro, small and medium enterprise and textiles have originated 10 rural craft hubs with 300 artisans and are developing rural crafts and cultural hubs across 15 districts, covering another 12,000 traditional artisans. Numbers of people across the state and tourists from foreign countries will visit the mask festival as known as ‘Mukhamela’ at Kushmandi situated in Dakshin Dinajpur which will continue three days from October 26th. 186 wooden mask artisans, 171 pottery artisans, 63 cane and bamboo artisans and Khon Mukha artisans from North and South Dinajpur will participate in the festival. The Mahishbathan Gramin Hasta Shilpa Samabay Samity will organize folk programmes at the festival with the indulgence of West Bengal Khadi and Village Industries Board (WBKVIB).

Kushmundi is the place where almost 250 artisans conserving the age-old tradition of wooden mask-making which belongs to the Rajbongshi community. Earlier it was reported that a large number of the traditional wooden mask makers has exempt their ancestral profession and joined other occupation for earning. Understanding the situation Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appointed the department of MSME to revive the traditional art forms.

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