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Majuli's celebrated group of artists, Samaguri Satra, is abuzz with activity as artists immerse themselves in crafting traditional masks for the upcoming Raas festival. Known widely for its unique mask-making heritage, the group has received multiple orders from across Assam, particularly for the large masks that form an integral part of Raas performances.
This year, the Raas Committee of Kaliabor in Nagaon district has commissioned masks of mythological characters such as Aghasura, Bakasura, and Mura. Once completed, the masks will be transported from the Satra to Kaliabor, where they are expected to become a major attraction on the festival stage. Anupam Goswami, an artist at the Sangeet Kala Kendra, told ANI: "For this year's Raas Mahotsav, we are preparing the masks as per the request of the Kaliabor Raas Committee. These include Aghasura, Bakasura, and Peacock, which audiences will witness during the performance. Every year, we prepare masks for Raas, and this is our first order of the season. After this, we will continue with more. The first three masks have already been completed by artists Dhiren Goswami, Pradip Goswami, and Manoj Bora, and we hope the people of Nagaon will appreciate them." Gautam Bhuyan, a student at this centre, added that the team has been working for over a month. "Our artists have been making masks mainly used in Shri Krishna's Raasleela, particularly his childhood plays. These include the masks of Aghasura, Bakasura, and Peacock, which feature in Krishna's dance sequences," he said. Meanwhile, Majuli continues to draw visitors from across India and abroad, eager to witness its rich mask-making tradition. Shumki Bhattacharya, a tourist from Kolkata, expressed her admiration after watching the artisans at work. She told ANI: "I am very surprised to see such culturally rich handicrafts, all made entirely by hand. It's amazing that such a beautiful tradition exists here, yet so few people are aware of it. The mask culture is a vital part of Majuli's heritage, and it deserves to be preserved and flourish. My best wishes to the artists." Majuli is the largest river island in Assam, bordered by rivers Brahmaputra and Subansiri. The Raas Festival, one of Assam's grandest cultural celebrations, will once again showcase Majuli's age-old mask-making artistry, an enduring tradition that continues to captivate audiences and preserve the island's cultural identity. (ANI)
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