Description Orissa Wood, polychromed A very fine and delicately painted dancing mask of a mouse, carved with a protruding snout, rounded ears, and eyes. It has an elongated neck decorated with multiple necklaces and two ovular eye apertures cut out for the performer. Such masks would have been used during folk performances of the Ramlila in Orissa. The Ramalila (a folk re-enactment of the life of Rama) is a widespread form of popular performance. The genre encompasses various dramatic enactments of the story of Rama by non-professional actors, men playing women’s roles, common throughout north India, lasting from ten to thirty-one nights and concluding on the autumn holiday of Dussehra. In Orissa in particular, Ramalila is performed during the two weeks following Rama’s birthday, Ramanavami, in March or April, a time that makes sense for an enactment that begins with Rama’s birthday, on Ramanavami. This timing also coincides with the agricultural cycle, making the performance a celebration of the spring harvest. Also, it is pleasant at the beginning of intense summer heat for villagers to enjoy the cool night hours with performances, generally from midnight till dawn, while actors and audience are free to sleep in the daytime. Mask Size (cms): 52(H) x 38(W) x 34(D) Mask Size (inches): 20.5(H) x 15(W) x 13.5(D)
