Himalayan Masks Essay

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The Himalayan Mountains share areas of 4 countries; India, Bhutan, Nepal and China. The Himalayan region is culturally and traditionally very diverse which integrates 3 religions; Hindu, Animism and Buddhist. These three cultures have masking in their respective cultures. Though the people of Himalayan region are from different culture, they share the same love for masquerade. The broad distribution of masks within the Himalayan region beyond of the traditional masking indicates and suggests that it has ancient roots. The author opines “for the purposes of this article, Himalayan masks will be divided into three main categories. Masks which depict deities, heroes, and comic characters from the 'high culture' of Buddhism and Hinduism have been described as 'classical', and include monastery and temple masks which are worn by Buddhists and Hindus in dance ceremonies. Many Newari masks from the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal portray Hindu gods and goddesses or subjects from epic dramas such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Classical Buddhist masks often depict figures from the great Buddhist pantheon, including ferocious defenders of the faith such as Mahakala. Some of the Buddhist masks introduced here were used in the mysterious dance known in Tibet as Cham, in which protector deities are invoked and negative forces are dispersed. 'Village' masks often incorporate elements from the classical Hindu and Buddhist traditions, but their primary defining characteristics derive from local village myths. Lakhe masks, popular among the Hindus of the Kathmandu Valley, may be considered to belong to this category. Lakhe is a local demon most commonly depicted with characteristically Gorgon-like features reminiscent of the Gorgon face familiar in Mediterranean sculpture and painting tradition. Lakhe's appearance, however, is undeniably linked with Indra Jatra, the annual
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