"Bhuta" mask, 18th century ·  India - South Karnataka, Tulu Nadu · ID: 3050760

Description

copper alloy, base

Metal “masks” like this one are used in “bhuta” worship practiced in Tulu Nadu, the Tulu-speaking coastal region of Karnataka state in southwestern India.

“Bhutas” are supernatural beings or divinized ancestor spirits. Hundreds of different “bhutas” are worshipped, each embodied by a particular metal animal- or human-face mask. Boars, buffalos, and fierce forms of the god Shiva or his attendant ganas are especially popular.

Every year countless festivals take place in honor of the “bhutas”. Their embodiments are professionals called “pambada”. They perform experessive dances in a state of ritual possesssion. Dressed in a unique costume, with a huge aureole, their appearance is majestic. The metal masks “muga” (“faces”), which are held in front of the face or in the hands during the performance, are charged with divine power.

“Bhuta” worship in Tulu Nadu probably dates back at least to the fourteenth century.

The object “Bhuta” mask, 18th century with the object ID 3050760 was last part of the auction 102nd Auction at April 13, 2024 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 2 achieved a sales price of EUR 2,500.

You can find more Masks and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on Asian art.

Comparing literature

Figiel, Leo S., Ritual Bronzes of Maharashtra and Karnataka, Boynton Beach 2007, p. 126, Fig. 14-128