Some of our masks are partly cultural too. Certain masks that we adorn to fit into pre-written norms to play the role they call for, roles like-the husband, the son, the brother, the father, the in-law and so on and so forth... This mask that hangs on the mask-wall of my bedroom, was received as a parting gift during a book launch function in Mangalore, Karnataka that I was invited to. The image was handcrafted by a gentleman for each and every person who went for the book launch. The image that he has tried to achieve is that of a popular folk art in that region called 'Yakshagana'-a boisterous, colourful, full of energy drama mostly performed late into the night on the streets for the common man, with plenty of lines that gets quoted from the scriptures. This click of the mask reminds me of how culture gets moulded into us and traps us lest we escape.
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