Man has made use of masks in dance rituals, dramas, folk songs, temples, and different socio-cultural contexts. In South India masks are worn by Kathakali Dancers, to depict good and evil characters from Hindu epics. Masks find an important place in Hindu festival celebration such as Dasera, Durga Puja and Ram Navami. Tribal societies in India too use have mask characters. Some of the tribes using masks are Bhils, Garasia, Bison Horn Madia, Santhals, Oraons etc. However, there is only one tribal town in India, that depicts 54 tribal mask characters. This town is known as Jawhar, from Thane district, in the state of Maharashtra. These 54 characters are taken in a procession during a Mask Festival called "Bohada". The festival of Bohada is popular among the Koknas, Thakars, Mahadev Kolis, Malhar Kolis, Dhor Kolis, Katkaris, Warlis and few caste groups of Thane and Nasik District. This book unveils a comprehensive socio-cultural and symbolic profile of Bohada festival, celebrated by the tribals and non-tribals of Thane and Nasik. An attempt has been made to unravel the various types of masks, the process of making them, rituals and myths associated with the same, the status of mask makers and the traditional style of organizing the Bohada Festival. This piece of work will surely attract the attention of anthropologists, sociologists, art students, interior designers, architects, museologists, students of tribal studies and general readers as well.
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