This quiet, unassuming village in Purulia can give you the shivers. Wherever you go, there are faces staring at you from the walls of shops and houses — some angry, some blissful, some growling menacingly, their sharp teeth showing. The smooth walls of the simple mud houses contrast sharply with the bright colours and dazzling coronets of these heads, adding to the sense of disorientation.
This is Charida, the hub of Chhau mask-making, located in the Baghmundi block of Purulia district. It has been earmarked by the West Bengal government’s Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises & Textiles, in collaboration with UNESCO. Nearly every residence along the main road doubles up as a shop, some with names like Mukhosh Ghar (House of Masks). Charida also has a Chhau museum, which documents the specifics of the art form.
Genius Foundation, an initiative of Genius Consultant Limited, one of the largest Manpower Outsourcing Company in India, entered into the MoU with Ascensive Edu Skill Foundation to create Market Linkage and Entrepreneurship Development of the Chhau Mask Artisan in Charida, Purulia.
The project will be focused on development of market linkage, national and international, for the Artisans to develop entrepreneurs at grass root and instil the idea of working as a collective business. A special emphasis will be given to educate the Artisans on modern packaging technique. G
