mask

1916.9.338 Name and identification of character A demon commonly referred to as purnaka raksa (Sin.). Context Stage two in a Kolam performance. Material Wood, vel-kaduru (Sin.) (Nux vomica). Iconography The face is shaped like an animal's snout and is painted in red. The head-dress is in two decorative tiers. The top layer consists of wooden pieces resembling a crown. They are ornamented with petal designs painted in green, yellow and red. These are meant to symbolise fire flames. The lower layer is composed of nine ritual wands in the shape of tridents, tri-sula (Sin.), normally turned out of young coconut leaves. Such ritual weapons are usually held in the hands of the dancer. In this mask the ritual weapons have been used as decorative pieces. The eyebrows are in the form of panels decorated with petal designs in black, yellow and red. Bulging eyes. The snub nose is turned up and has a dent. The lips are padded and painted in red. Hair is registered around the mouth through triangular designs in black. The lower jaw is moveable. There are no eye-teeth, only pointed canine teeth. A space is left between the two rows of teeth to enable the dancer to see through the mask. Both ears are separately attached. The ear-discs consist of a lotus decorated with petal designs and foliage rising up. A cobra hood is carved on the lower part of each ear-disc. The demon purnaka is described as the commander of the demons, purnaka yak-senevi (Sin.), and is associated with the abode of the cobras, naga bhavana (Sin). 2000 07 17 Dr. M. H. Goonatilleka